Smokefree Trimester February 2014 Having the “Smoking” conversation without the can of worms The Ministry of Health has identified pregnant women as a priority group for reducing harm caused by tobacco. The goal is that 90% of pregnant women who smoke are offered advice and support to quit. Some of the barriers/challenges that we have heard that midwives face when approaching smoking during pregnancy, are concerns that they might open a can of worms and then what??? How do you get started? We have gathered some feedback from midwives to hear some conversations that you feel are beneficial to getting started on this topic. One of our favourites is : “There are so many things in your pregnancy you’re told not to do ... however with regards to smoking, would it be okay with you if I just explain some of the Science behind why it’s important to stop smoking in pregnancy?” (Kathy Fray) Let us take care of it for you We know that you have a multitude of areas to cover in your pregnancy care appointments. We have the time and skills to support women to become Smokefree; and maintain the change. Here are a couple of examples that can successfully engage women to accept a referral to our service. Illustration by Tess Transom-Turner “We have a team of people around to assist with help and Smokefree Communities are part of this support plan, can I get them to give you a call?” “As part of your pregnancy care plan we would really like the Smokefree team to share with you what support options are available for you. Can I pass on your details to them?” Did you know? Competition Winners!  Smokefree Communities accepts referrals for pregnant and postnatal women Congratulations to :  We make contact within 24 hours 1st Prize: Vicky Wickliffe  Free support for partners and family members (Fujifilm Finepix XP50 waterproof camera)  Free home visits or in a setting of their choice (Hamper of picnic goodies) Smokefree Communities is a FREE, quit smoking support service available for people residing in the North Shore, Rodney and Waitakere districts. 0508QUITNOW 2nd Prize: Sanaz Khodaverdian  Free carbon monoxide testing 3rd Prize: Helen Bryant  Free nicotine replacement samples ($30 Westfield voucher) Smokefree Communities - 0508 784 866 // [email protected] // FAX 09 415 1092 Page 2 Smokefree Trimester Money going up in smoke! The recent price increases have brought the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes today to $17.20, while 25’s are $21.75 and a 30 gram pouch of tobacco is $38.00. What does this increase in pricing mean for our families who smoke? Increased costs of smoking can be a motivator for people to have a go at quitting smoking and many will just do it. Cigs/ day Cost/ week Cost/ month Cost/year However for others It can mean that something else has to give, such as food, travel or healthcare costs. 5 $30.10 $130.79 $1,569.50 10 $60.20 $261.58 $3,139.00 A referral to our service can make all the difference to these families. 20 $120.40 $523.16 $6,278.00 Families receive free support and two months supply of patches, gum or lozenges for just $5. Single mothers most at risk of poor mental health New research from Otago University, reported in December 2013, shows single parents tend to have poorer psychological health than partnered parents, with single mothers most at risk. difficult to stop smoking. Significantly more mothers than fathers are likely to have high or very high levels of psychological distress. We also have an in-house psychological health service, which focuses on addressing mild to moderate anxiety, depression and related psychological health matters. We know that poor psychological health is strongly associated with smoking, and can make it more Our experienced smoking cessation staff understand these issues and take them into account when working with pregnant clients, new mothers and their families. If you think your clients would benefit from psychological support, please ask her GP to refer her to our Lifestyle Options Service, or to the equivalent service provided by Procare, if the GP is part of Procare PHO. We triage all referrals generally within 24 hours, and if we cannot arrange an appointment with our staff, we will make a referral to another appropriate service. Smoking has little effect on weight How often have you heard? “I will put on weight if I quit smoking”. The fear of putting on weight when you quit smoking can be strong enough to keep people smoking. Combine this with the common concern of putting on too much weight during pregnancy, we have a double whammy barrier to quitting. According to the newly published findings from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Study, smokers wanting to quit should not be fearful of weight gain: On average, quitters do not experience greater weight gain than never-smokers. The study, titled “Smoking Cessation and Subsequent Weight Change” can be found at: http://ntr.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2014/01/20/ ntr.ntt284.short?rss=1. Welcome ABC online training We would like to welcome the midwives that are newly referring to our service. It is fabulous to see new names and faces connecting with us and supporting better health outcomes for women, babies and their families. The ABC smoking cessation course is now available online at http://learnonline.health.nz/course/category.php?id=68 . The course is for registered health professionals and will assist you to have a conversation around smoking. Find us on Facebook To learn how to provide the ABC approach and support better health outcomes for our Mums, Dads, babies and families, log on to complete the course. Thank you to everyone who has “liked” and “shared” our Facebook page. If you would like us to profile your midwifery services on our Facebook page please let us know! www.facebook.com/smokefreecommunities The course takes around 20 minutes. Smokefree Communities - 0508 784 866 // [email protected] // FAX 09 415 1092