Digitalising Specialist Smoking Cessation Support in Pregnancy: Views of Pregnant Smokers

Belderson, Pippa; McDaid, Lisa; Emery, Joanne; Coleman, Tim; Leonardi-Bee, Jo; Naughton, Felix

Abstract

Introduction

Unsupported attempts to quit smoking during pregnancy have a low success rate. Chances of quitting successfully are higher with an interpersonal treatment programme but there is low uptake of this in the United Kingdom (UK). Delivering a pregnancy-specific treatment programme digitally may provide an alternative treatment route. This study explored pregnant smokers’ perceptions of barriers and facilitators to using digital cessation support, along with identifying modes of delivery and engagement enhancers.

Methods

Semi-structured interviews were carried out with an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse sample of 25 participants with recent experience of attempting to quit smoking in pregnancy, aged 20 – 40, from the UK. An inductive thematic analysis approach was used.

Results

Digital smoking cessation support, particularly a smartphone app, for pregnancy was felt to overcome many barriers to engaging with interpersonal support, being viewed as more convenient and non-judgemental, providing better consistency of advice, and enhancing privacy and autonomy. However, some participants felt that removing access to a human could undermine a digital support package and reduce engagement. Popular engagement enhancers included self-monitoring (e.g. digital recording of smoking; smartphone-linked carbon monoxide monitoring), online communities, and remote access to nicotine substitution options. Digital support was viewed as having potential as a stand-alone intervention or working in conjunction with standard interpersonal treatment.

Conclusions

The findings support the investigation of a digital support package as both a stand-alone and adjunct to standard interpersonal cessation support in pregnancy to increase the proportion of pregnant smokers who make a supported quit attempt.

Implications

In many countries like the United Kingdom, there are few smoking cessation options routinely available that provide effective support for smoking cessation in pregnancy. To maximize impact, health services need an effective range of strategies to engage with and support quit attempts made by all pregnant smokers, particularly as interpersonal support options are not often well used. Development of a pregnancy-specific digital support package for smoking cessation in pregnancy may represent a means to help address this gap.

Citation

Belderson, P., McDaid, L., Emery, J., Coleman, T., Leonardi-Bee, J., & Naughton, F. (2024). Digitalising Specialist Smoking Cessation Support in Pregnancy: Views of Pregnant Smokers. Nicotine and Tobacco Research, Article ntae184. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntae184

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 17, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jul 26, 2024
• Publication Date: Jul 26, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jul 25, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 27, 2025
• Journal: Nicotine and Tobacco Research
• Print ISSN: 1462-2203
• Electronic ISSN: 1469-994X
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Article Number: ntae184
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntae184
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/37599252