An educational intervention to men for reducing environmental tobacco smoke exposure in their pregnant wives

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of education based on health belief model (HBM) on the level of their pregnant wives' environmental tobacco smoke exposure (ETSE). METHODS: This interventional randomized study was conducted on 60 cigarette smoking men who have exposed their pregnant wives to smoke during of their pregnancy. The HBM constructs and weekly ETSE were evaluated by using questionnaire. The intervention group received education with emphasis on the risks of cigarette's smoke on the pregnancy. Then right after the training and 6 weeks after that, HBM constructs and 6 weeks after the training the weekly ETSE were evaluated again. RESULTS: Results showed a significant difference between the mean of perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits and barriers at intake and 6 weeks after the intervention in the intervention group. Also, the level of perceived susceptibility/severity and perceived barriers in both groups were significantly different 6 weeks after the intervention compared to intake time. The ETSE was significantly lower in the intervention group 6 weeks after the intervention in comparison to before the intervention and also to the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that education husbands would relatively improve their health beliefs and reduce the ETSE of their pregnant wives.