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. 2014 Sep;38(5):755-64.
doi: 10.5993/AJHB.38.5.13.

Women's perspectives on smoking and pregnancy and graphic warning labels

Denise M Levis  1 , Brenda Stone-Wiggins  2 , Michelle O'Hegarty  3 , Van T Tong  4 , Kara N D Polen  5 , Cynthia H Cassell  5 , Mary Council  2
Affiliations

Women's perspectives on smoking and pregnancy and graphic warning labels

Denise M Levis et al. Am J Health Behav. 2014 Sep.

Abstract

Objectives: To explore women's knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about adverse outcomes associated with smoking during pregnancy and which outcomes might motivate cessation; to explore reactions to graphic warnings depicting 2 adverse outcomes.

Methods: Twelve focus groups were conducted with women of childbearing age who were current smokers.

Results: Participants had low to moderate awareness of many outcomes and believed it was acceptable to smoke in the first trimester before knowledge of pregnancy. Perceived susceptibility to outcomes was low. Motivators included risk-focused information, especially serious risks to the baby (eg, stillbirth, SIDS). Graphic warnings produced strong reactions, especially the warning with a real photo.

Conclusions: Despite barriers to reducing rates of smoking during pregnancy, educational information and photos depicting babies' risks could motivate women to quit.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors have no competing interests pertaining to this research.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. One of 2 Graphic Warning Labels Shown to Focus Group Participants
Note. This label is used on tobacco packaging in Australia.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Second of 2 Graphic Warning Labels Shown to Focus Group Participants
Note. This label was designed for our focus groups to assess participants’ reactions to an image of cleft lip with or without cleft palate.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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