Reduction of secondhand smoke exposure among healthy infants in Iran: randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Introduction: The objective of this study was to assess whether counseling both mothers and fathers reduces their infants' exposure to secondhand smoke (SHS).

Methods: Participants were 130 nonsmoking children aged less than 1 year, exposed to their fathers' or mothers' smoking, and recruited from a health center in southern Tehran. Eligible families were randomly assigned to intervention or control group. Infant urine samples were collected, and parents were interviewed at baseline and at a 3-month follow-up in each of the 2 groups. Mothers of the intervention group were provided 3 counseling sessions, one of which was face to face and 2 of which were by telephone. Fathers were provided 3 counseling sessions by telephone. Parents were also given an educational pamphlet and a sticker depicting a smoke-free home. The control group received usual care. Changes in infant urinary cotinine levels, parental cigarette consumption in the presence of the child, and home- and car-smoking bans were assessed.

Results: The intervention was effective in reducing infant urinary cotinine levels (1-tailed p = .029). There was a greater decrease in the total daily cigarette consumption in the presence of the child in the intervention group compared with the control group, and the differences between the 2 groups were statistically significant (1-tailed p = .03). While the differences between home-smoking bans in the 2 groups were statistically significant (1-tailed p = .049), the differences between car-smoking bans did not reach significance.

Conclusion: Counseling similar to that employed in other countries can reduce infant exposure to SHS, suggesting generalizability.