Abstract
Problem
The majority of South Australian pregnant women who smoke do not quit during pregnancy.
Additionally, the prevalence of smoking is higher among pregnant women living in socially
disadvantaged areas.
Background
Understanding challenges in midwives’ provision of smoking cessation care can elucidate
opportunities to facilitate women’s smoking cessation.
Aim
We aimed to understand midwives’ perspectives on current practices, perceived barriers
and facilitators to delivery of smoking cessation care, and potential improvements
to models of smoking cessation care.
Methods
An exploratory qualitative research methodology and thematic analysis was used to
understand the perspectives of midwives in five focus groups.
Findings
Four themes were generated from the data on how midwives perceived their ability to
provide smoking cessation care: Tensions between providing smoking cessation care
and maternal care; Organisational barriers in the delivery of smoking cessation care;
Scepticism and doubt in the provision of smoking cessation care; and Opportunities
to enable midwives’ ability to provide smoking cessation care.
Discussion
A combination of interpersonal, organisational and individual barriers impeded on
midwives’ capacities to approach, follow-up and prioritise smoking cessation care.
Working with women living with disadvantage and high rates of smoking, the midwife’s
role was challenging as it balanced delivering smoking cessation care without jeopardising
antenatal care.
Conclusion
Providing midwives with resources and skills may alleviate the sense of futility that
surrounds smoking cessation care. Provision of routine training and education could
also improve understandings of the current practice guidelines.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 22, 2022
Accepted:
March 13,
2022
Received in revised form:
March 2,
2022
Received:
September 7,
2021
Identification
Copyright
© 2022 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
