TABLE 2.
Health care professionals’ knowledge, attitude and practice regarding SHS exposure during pregnancy and childhood (Assiut, Egypt. 2022).
| Health care professionals’ knowledge | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| As far as you are aware, does SHS exposure during pregnancy increase the risk of the following? a | Yes | No | Don’t Know | |||||
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Congenital anomalies | 288 | 78.7 | 23 | 6.3 | 55 | 15 | ||
| Low birth weight | 282 | 76.8 | 9 | 2.5 | 76 | 20.7 | ||
| Spontaneous abortion | 258 | 70.5 | 31 | 8.5 | 77 | 21 | ||
| Preterm delivery | 256 | 69.9 | 30 | 8.2 | 80 | 21.9 | ||
| Sudden unexpected death in infancy | 237 | 64.6 | 26 | 7.1 | 104 | 28.3 | ||
| Stillbirth | 234 | 63.8 | 39 | 10.6 | 94 | 25.6 | ||
| As far as you are aware, does SHS exposure among children increase the risk of the following? | ||||||||
| Respiratory tract infection | 325 | 88.6 | 7 | 1.9 | 35 | 9.5 | ||
| Wheeze and asthma | 295 | 80.4 | 17 | 4.6 | 55 | 14.9 | ||
| Chances of smoking uptake among children in the future | 277 | 75.5 | 10 | 2.7 | 80 | 21.8 | ||
| Psychological and behavioural problem | 250 | 68.1 | 24 | 6.5 | 93 | 25.3 | ||
| Middle ear infection | 195 | 53.1 | 48 | 13.1 | 124 | 33.8 | ||
| Invasive meningococcal disease | 105 | 28.6 | 98 | 26.7 | 164 | 44.7 | ||
| Health care professionals’ attitudes | ||||||||
| To what extent do you agree with this statement? a | Agree | Disagree | Unsure | |||||
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |||
| Health care professionals should not smoke as patients could see them as role models | 339 | 92.4 | 11 | 3 | 17 | 4.6 | ||
| Health professionals should routinely advise pregnant women/mothers with children to avoid SHS exposure | 339 | 92.4 | 3 | 0.8 | 25 | 6.8 | ||
| Health professionals should routinely ask pregnant women/mothers with children about whether they are exposed to SHS | 330 | 89.9 | 6 | 1.6 | 31 | 8.5 | ||
| Compared with other disease prevention activities like obesity and hypertension, tobacco control is important | 330 | 89.9 | 7 | 1.9 | 30 | 8.2 | ||
| A pregnant woman’s/child’s chances of avoiding SHS exposure could increase if a health professional advises pregnant women/mothers with children to avoid it | 320 | 87.1 | 2 | 0.5 | 45 | 12.3 | ||
| Health professionals who smoke are less likely to advise pregnant women/mothers with children to avoid SHS exposure | 288 | 78.5 | 47 | 12.8 | 32 | 8.7 | ||
| SHS exposure is private business, therefore there should be no advice from HCPs regarding this topic | 128 | 34.9 | 215 | 58.6 | 24 | 6.5 | ||
| Pregnant women/mothers with children are not interested in receiving advice about reducing SHS exposure | 172 | 46.9 | 106 | 28.9 | 89 | 24.3 | ||
| Giving advice on avoiding SHS exposure has a low chance of success | 167 | 45.5 | 102 | 27.8 | 98 | 26.7 | ||
| In the course of my profession there are other aspects more important than SHS exposure | 199 | 54.2 | 99 | 26.9 | 69 | 18.8 | ||
| Health care professionals’ counselling practice | ||||||||
| To what extent do you practice the following? a | Always | Sometimes | Rarely | Never | ||||
| N | % | N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| I ask pregnant women/mother with children if they are exposed to SHS. | 32 | 8.7 | 139 | 37.9 | 80 | 21.8 | 116 | 31.6 |
| I explain the consequences of SHS on one’s health to pregnant women/mother with children | 60 | 16.4 | 136 | 37.1 | 132 | 35.9 | 39 | 10.6 |
| I explain the specific adverse health effects of SHS exposure to the foetus during pregnancy | 75 | 20.4 | 121 | 32.9 | 98 | 26.7 | 73 | 19.9 |
| I explain the specific adverse health effects of children’s SHS exposure to their mothers | 68 | 18.5 | 107 | 29.2 | 103 | 28.1 | 89 | 24.3 |
| I advise/encourage pregnant women/mother with children to avoid SHS exposure | 85 | 23.2 | 129 | 35.2 | 69 | 18.8 | 84 | 22.9 |
a
Total N = 367.