This paper aims to explore the beliefs and attitudes of young mothers in relation to smokefree homes and passive smoke in Guernsey, and to encourage them to contribute to the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore the beliefs and attitudes of young mothers in relation to smokefree homes and passive smoke in Guernsey, and to encourage them to contribute to the designing of a smokefree home leaflet and pack aimed at young mothers.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 11 participants (aged 17‐23 years).
Findings
Most participants were smokers, however, they all knew what passive smoke was and asserted that their homes were smokefree. Even if they were unable to list specific impacts of second hand smoke on children, they all agreed that children should be protected. A few of them described the difficulties in telling people not to smoke around their children in other people's homes and in cars. Moreover, some young mothers said that they found it hard to persuade their partners not to smoke around the children.
Originality/value
This paper presents the respondents ideas for promoting and supporting smokefree homes for young mothers and informing a smokefree home leaflet and home pack: providing information about passive smoking during parenting sessions, preferably after the baby has been born; giving parents a pack with giveaways linked to smokefree homes; encouraging parents to be assertive to friends and family who try to smoke around children; and getting both partners involved.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this paper is to gauge how the perception of smoking by children has evolved since the last primary schools survey in Guernsey in 2007 and to investigate whether…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to gauge how the perception of smoking by children has evolved since the last primary schools survey in Guernsey in 2007 and to investigate whether there is an increase in the percentage of smoke‐free homes since the last survey.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 377 Year 6 (aged 10‐11 years) primary school students were surveyed through an online questionnaire made up of 58 questions and based on the health attitudes of children. The statistics arising from this survey were compared with those obtained in a similar survey in 2007.
Findings
Year 2007, 2009 (respectively): Total=(575, 377); girls (48 per cent, 55 per cent) never smoked (94 per cent, 97 per cent); will not smoke when older (83 per cent, 82 per cent); have a smoke‐free house (60 per cent, 64 per cent); get information about smoking through Guernsey Adolescent Smokefree Project (GASP) (92 per cent, 90 per cent); have never been offered cannabis (91 per cent, 97 per cent).
Originality/value
The results of this survey forced a list of actions to be taken by GASP to ensure that the young people of the island would continue to receive smoke‐free education.