Is pregnancy a teachable moment for smoking cessation among US Latino expectant fathers? A pilot study

Abstract

Objective. Pregnancy may be a time when US Latino expectant fathers consider quitting smoking. A ‘teachable moment’ is theorized to increase motivation to change a behavior through increased risk perceptions, emotional responses, and changes in self-image.

Design. We recruited 30 Spanish-speaking expectant fathers through their pregnant partners. We assessed expectant fathers' diet, exercise, and smoking and teachable moment constructs (risk perceptions, emotional responses, and self-image). We also tested correlations between teachable moment constructs and motivation to change behaviors.

Results. Latino expectant fathers had high-risk perceptions that their smoking harmed the pregnancy (M=4.4, SD=0.5 on five-point scale) and strong emotional responses about their smoking during pregnancy (M=3.9, SD=1.1). They also felt it was their role to make the pregnancy healthy (M=4.4, SD=0.8). They felt less strongly that their diet and exercise affected the pregnancy. The teachable moment constructs for smoking were strongly correlated with motivation to quit smoking; the same was not true for diet and exercise.

Conclusions. Latino expectant fathers seem aware that their smoking could harm the pregnancy but seem less concerned about the effect of their diet and exercise on the pregnancy. Pregnancy may be a time to help Latino expectant fathers quit smoking.

Keywords:

• smoking
• pregnancy
• fathers
• Latino
• teachable moment

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by funds provided by the Department of Community and Family Medicine, Duke University Medical Center and R01CA127307. We would like to thank Tana Hoffman and David Sanchez at El Centro Hispano for their guidance on survey development and recruitment. We also would like to thank Emilia Suárez and Zoraida Grimaldos for collecting the data.