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

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

3. 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

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

5. 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

6. 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 % 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).

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

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

13. 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

14. ‘Pilot’ Evaluation Results
Based on 102 individuals surveyed

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

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

17. 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

18. Cardiff and the Vale Smokefree Living Project

19. 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

20. 1.) Changes to PARIS

21. 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)

22. 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

23. 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.

24. 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

25. 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

26. Contact Elen de Lacy - ASH Wales elen@ashwales.co.uk
Richard Hall – Firebrake Wales
The full Report of the evaluation of the project pilot phase is at: