Abstract

This study describes the smoking behavior and selected characteristics of men during their partner's pregnancy. Constructs of the transtheoretical model of behavior change were used to describe socio-demographic characteristics of these men, to compare their smoking behavior in various stages of change, and to explore the relationship of the smoking behavior of the male partner to that of the pregnant partner. The study used a non-experimental, descriptive correlational design with a self-administered survey tool. A convenience sample was recruited in the Midwest region of the U.S. from local childbirth education classes, healthcare provider offices, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinics, and prenatal public health home visits. The sample of 74 men had a mean age of 27 years (SD = 5.8) and 57% were married. While 63 (85%) of the participants continued to smoke during their partner's pregnancy, 57% of these men were seriously considering quitting within the next six months. Over two thirds of the female partners (n = 51) were not smoking at the time of the survey, but 23 women continued to smoke during pregnancy. There were no significant differences in demographic variables, level of nicotine dependence and temptation to smoke among men in the various stages of behavior change. More of the men who smoked had partners who smoked during pregnancy when compared to the men who were no longer smoking. Compared to smokers in the general population, an increased percentage of smokers in this study were contemplating quitting smoking. These figures are related to low levels of nicotine dependence, an increased motivation to quit smoking, especially in a first pregnancy, increasing social pressure not to smoke, and local regulatory efforts to promote smoke-free public environments. A comprehensive approach to smoking cessation is needed, including a further understanding of the smoking behavior of men during their partner's pregnancy and factors that influence behavior change.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 3062569; ProQuest document ID: 305553900. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Mary Ellen Tanner, PhD, RN

Sigma Membership

Theta Xi

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Grounded Theory

Research Approach

Qualitative Research

Keywords:

Parental Smoking Behaviors, Pregnancy Changes, Smoking Cessation

Advisors

Snyder, Mariah||Avery, Melissa D.

Degree

PhD

Degree Grantor

University of Minnesota

Degree Year

2002

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2019-06-10

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