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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Jul;105(7):2562-2572.
doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2021.12.019. Epub 2022 Jan 1.

Promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy: A feasibility and pilot trial of a digital storytelling intervention delivered via text-messaging

Emma King  1 , Helen Cheyne  2 , Purva Abhyankar  3 , Andrew Elders  4 , Mark Grindle  5 , Adrian Hapca  6 , Claire Jones  7 , Ronan O'Carroll  8 , Mary Steele  9 , Brian Williams  10
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Promoting smoking cessation during pregnancy: A feasibility and pilot trial of a digital storytelling intervention delivered via text-messaging

Emma King et al. Patient Educ Couns. 2022 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: Smoking during pregnancy causes risks to mother and infant health. We investigated the feasibility and likely success of SKIP-IT, a narrative and picture-based smoking cessation intervention delivered via text messages.

Methods: A feasibility and pilot trial. We aimed to recruit 70 pregnant women who smoked, randomised to usual care alone, or usual care and the SKIP-IT intervention, between 12 weeks of pregnancy and 6 weeks post due-date. Outcomes assessed were recruitment, retention, acceptability of, and engagement with the intervention, smoking behaviour, intentions, perceived risk, and self-efficacy.

Results: Of 312 women initially approached by smoking cessation services only 54 (17%) agreed to be contacted by the research team. Twenty were then either ineligible or uncontactable and 28 (82%) participated. Most women reported texts to be entertaining and helpful. The proportion of women not smoking at follow-up was lower in the intervention group, but numbers were too small to draw conclusions about effectiveness.

Conclusion: The intervention was acceptable, but difficulty in making initial and follow-up contacts meant our methods were unfeasible for a larger trial.

Practice implications: Digital Storytelling interventions could help women quit smoking, but further research is required to identify alternative methods for studies with pregnant women who smoke.

Keywords: Behaviour change; Intervention; Pregnancy; Smoking; Text-messaging.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declarations of interest

None.

I confirm all patient/personal identifiers have been removed or disguised so the patient/person(s) described are not identifiable and cannot be identified through the details of the story.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1. SKIP-IT CONSORT Diagram.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2. Russell Standard Abstinence Rates.
Picture 1
Picture 1. Example text messages.
Picture 2
Picture 2. Example of picture messages showing size of fetus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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    1. Roelands J, Jamison MG, Lyerly AD, James AH. Consequences of smoking during pregnancy on maternal health. J Women’s Health. 2002;18(6):867–72. 2009. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Department of Health & Social Care. Tobacco Control Delivery Plan 2017-2022. 2018

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