Publication: Knowledge, Attitude and Practice Regarding Environmental Tobacco Smoke among Pregnant Women of Sunsari
Date
2018
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Second hand tobacco smoke or Environmental Tobacco Smoke (ETS), contains toxic
substances and carcinogens that cause serious health effects in humans. Studies
show that ETS exposure during pregnancy is injurious to the mother-infant pair with
long term consequences. Limited studies are found in context of ETS in pregnancy
in Nepal.
Objective
To explore the knowledge about harmful effect of ETS exposure in pregnant women
and to know the behavior of avoidance from exposure to ETS during pregnancy.
Method
A cross sectional study was conducted among 303 pregnant women attending
antenatal clinics at the District Hospital Inaruwa and BPKIHS Dharan. A pre-tested
semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data regarding socio-demographic
characteristics, knowledge, attitude and practice regarding Environmental tobacco
smoke. Data was entered in Excel and analyzed in SPSS 11.5.
Result
The mean age of the respondents was 23.86±4.68 years. The proportion of primi-
gravida was 53.5% and multi-gravida was 46.5%. Among the respondents, 14% were
illiterate and 91% were unemployed. A similar proportion of the husbands (12%)
were illiterate. Three-fourth (75%) of the respondents lived in joint family. It was
found that 86% of their husbands were smokers. There were 61% of pregnant women
who had heard about ETS, mainly through television (35%) and radio (30%). There
was 86% of the households who had initiated some measures to prevent smoking
inside the house.
Conclusion
The pregnant women in this study are aware about ETS. However a significant
number of them believe that ETS is not harmful compared to active smoking. There
is a need for further studies to identify interventions to avoid ETS exposure among
the pregnant women.
KEY WORDS
Knowledge attitude practice, Environmental tobacco smoke in Nepal, Pregnant
women
Description
Khanal VK,¹ Budhathoki SS,1 Nath M,2 Tamrakar D,3 Pokharel HP,4 Shrestha A,¹Pokharel PK¹
1School of Public Health and Community Medicine,
B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan, Nepal.
2Ministry of Health, Nepal
3Community Medicine,
Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences
Dhulikhel, Kavre, Nepal.
4Obstetrics and Gynecology,
B P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences,
Dharan, Nepal
Keywords
Knowledge attitude practice, Environmental tobacco smoke in Nepal, Pregnant women