Abstract
BackgroundInternet-based Smoking Cessation Interventions (ISCIs) may help pregnant smokers who are unable, or unwilling, to access face-to-face stop smoking support. Targeting ISCIs to specific groups of smokers could increase their uptake and effectiveness. The current study explored the needs and preferences of pregnant women seeking online stop smoking support with an aim to identify features and components of ISCIs that might be most attractive to this population.MethodsWe conducted qualitative interviews with thirteen pregnant women who completed the intervention arm of a pilot randomized controlled trial of a novel ISCI for pregnant smokers (‘MumsQuit’). The interviews explored women’s views towards MumsQuit and online support with quitting smoking in general, as well as their suggestions for how ISCIs could be best targeted to pregnancy. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Framework Analysis.ResultsParticipants expressed preferences for an accessible, highly engaging and targeted to pregnancy smoking cessation website, tailored to individuals’ circumstances as well as use of cessation medication, offering comprehensive and novel information on smoking and quitting smoking in pregnancy, ongoing support with cravings management, as well as additional support following relapse to smoking. Participants also viewed as important targeting of the feedback and progress reports to baby’s health and development, offering personal support from experts, and providing a discussion forum allowing for communication with other pregnant women wanting to quit .ConclusionsThe present study has identified a number of potential building blocks for ISCIs targeted to quitting smoking in pregnancy. Pregnant smokers willing to try using ISCI may particularly value an engaging intervention offering a high degree of targeting of comprehensive information to them as a group and tailoring support and advice to their individual needs, as well as one providing post-relapse support, peer-to-peer communication and personal support from experts.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/1471-2458-14-1070) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Internet-based Smoking Cessation Interventions (ISCIs) may help pregnant smokers who are unable, or unwilling, to access face-to-face stop smoking support
Our findings suggest that the attractiveness and relevance of a minimally tailored ISCI to pregnant women might be increased by more comprehensive tailoring of the intervention to pregnancy stage, stage of quit at the start of the program, and attitudes towards smoking cessation medication [53]
It was reported that e-mails may increase engagement with online interventions [54]; this study suggest that individual preferences for the intensity of e-mail communications and personal support should be taken into account
Summary
Internet-based Smoking Cessation Interventions (ISCIs) may help pregnant smokers who are unable, or unwilling, to access face-to-face stop smoking support. Targeting ISCIs to specific groups of smokers could increase their uptake and effectiveness. The current study explored the needs and preferences of pregnant women seeking online stop smoking support with an aim to identify features and components of ISCIs that might be most attractive to this population. In. Behavioral support is the most effective smoking cessation intervention for pregnant smokers [7]. In the UK, it is offered through National Health Services (NHS) Stop Smoking Services, and in England 47% of pregnant attendees who set a quit date with the services are biochemicallyverified as abstinent at 4-weeks follow-up [8]. Only a small minority of pregnant smokers access them [9]. Barriers reported by pregnant smokers, including time constraints and fear of stigmatization or failure, may be among the key reasons for why pregnant women do not engage with the established services [10,11]
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