Smoke Free Living Project Elen de Lacy Research and Policy Analyst ASH Wales

Presentation Outline Smoke Free Living Project - Background Smoke Free Living Project - Delivery Pilot Phase - Evaluation results Cardiff smoke free living initiative The way forward

Smokefree Living Project Aim The over-arching aim of the Smokefree Living Project in Wales is to reduce the risks of smoking in the home to: Health The environment Children and pets Fire Safety

Smokefree Living Project The Partners • ASH Wales Firebrake Wales Welsh Fire & Rescue Services

Smoking in the home Passive smoking in children accounts for over 300,000 GP consultations a year in the UK 9,500 children hospital admissions a year in the UK are due to passive smoking 40 deaths from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome a year are caused by passive smoking in the UK In 2007, Smokers Materials’ accounted for 8% of accidental dwelling fires, 12% of casualties and 44% of fatalities in such fires in Wales

Smoking in the home Many children don’t have the personal power to complain or remove themselves from exposure to SHS (Ashley, ferrence,1998; Thompson, Wilson, Howden-Chapman, 2006). Exposure is linked to parents’ poor knowledge of the relationship between exposure to SHS and the specific health risks for children (ASH Scotland, 2006) Low income households have fewer restrictions on smoking in the home (Phillips, Amos & Ritchie et al., 2007) In 2007 33% of homes in Britain reported only having one partial or no restrictions on smoking, with restrictions least common in the homes of people in routine and manual occupations (Lader 2007).

Benefits of Smokefree Living New born babies less likely to develop respiratory infections and SIDS Children less likely to develop asthma, respiratory infections or glue ear The risk of fire will be reduced in the home Protection of families and friends from SHS Pets less likely to suffer from respiratory problems

Potential Barriers to a Smokefree Home Lack of knowledge of health effects of a smoky home Lack of belief in ability to create a smokefree home Restricted mobility due to health problems or disability which makes it difficult to go outside Lack of places to go outside e.g. high-rise flats Low self-esteem or lack of confidence to make changes Lack of control over home situation

Why is the Smokefree living project a priority? Identified as a priority by the Local Tobacco Free Partnerships in Wales Identified as a key priority in the Health, Social Care & Well-Being Strategy’s and Children and Young People’s Strategies in Wales ASH Wales working in partnership with Firebrake Wales and Fire and Rescue Services to incorporate important fire safety message

Smokefree Living Project To identify and target an intervention to households in Wales where people smoke To provide information on reducing risks, to those households where people smoke To monitor and evaluate any changes in smoking behaviour in the home, as a result of the project/intervention

This project is…. A ‘risk reduction’ model, not focusing on ‘cessation’ Delivering ‘more than a health issue’ message = more impact Targeting known smoking households

Smokefree Living Project - Delivery Home Fire Safety Check Smoking households a Gives consent

Smokefree Living Project - Delivery Initial phase = one of the 3 Fire and Rescue Services, Mid and West Wales FRS (South & North Wales to follow) Conducted a ‘pilot’ to ascertain effectiveness 102 named individuals (had a recent HFSC, smoking household and given consent) Evaluation of Pilot phase conducted - Fieldwork 16th-22nd July 09

‘Pilot’ Evaluation Results Based on 102 individuals surveyed

Around 80% of those that recall receiving information pack read it.

Base: All those who read pack (27) % claiming their awareness raised / not raised

Summary 1. Model looks effective 11% of those receiving the pack* said that they had changed their smoking behaviour as a result of reading the information 2. Indications = more effective than similar initiatives Smoke Free Sefton Homes – 74 out of 10,000 homes ‘pledged’ Possible ‘bias’ of those inviting a Home Fire Safety Measure?) 3. Need to understand longer term impact Sustained behavioural change

Cardiff and the Vale Smokefree Living Project

How we have worked in Health visitors in Cardiff…… Health visitors/community workers are in a unique position to influence and encourage smoke-free homes for children Key components of the initiative: Changes to the PARIS system Brief Intervention training provided by SSW Smoke-free home packs

1.) Changes to PARIS

Question 1 Do you smoke? (this will be asked to the primary carer) Y N (drop-down box) If yes referral to SSW offered (using 3 A's - brief intervention)

Question 2 Do you or anyone else smoke inside the home? Y N (drop-down box) If yes, smoke-free homes pack given and talked through

Question 3 Do you intend to make your home smoke-free? Y N These questions will be repeated at 9 months and 18 months. From Question 3 we will be able to pull off data which indicates whether the ‘intention’ has been turned into an action.

2.) Smoke-free Homes resources Give out a copy of the smoke-free homes packs and talk through: Highlighting dangers of SHS and importance of a smoke-free home Encourage smoke-free restrictions (including partners, grandparents, carers, visitors etc) Refer those who are motivated to quit smoking to SSW Inform that there are free fire safety checks offered by the Fire Service

How can you take this project forward in your area? Training – brief intervention and smoking in the home (RCN/OCN accredited) Recording procedures Smokefree Living pack distribution Referral to Stop Smoking Wales/for fire-safety check Follow-up

Contact Elen de Lacy - ASH Wales elen@ashwales.co.uk Richard Hall – Firebrake Wales richard@firebrake.org The full Report of the evaluation of the project pilot phase is at: http://www.firebrake.org/en/cometogether/projects.php