PP044 TOBACCO CONTROL IN PREGNANT WOMEN: GAPS AND OPPORTUNITIES IN PRACTICES OF NURSE MIDWIVES IN OUTREACH CENTRES IN INDIA

Abstract

Background: Tobacco Control in pregnant women: Gaps and Opportunities in Practices of Nurse Midwives in outreach centers in India Objective: The present study explores whether Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) adhere to the 3A' s from the recommended 5A' s model for tobacco cessation. Result: Almost all ANMs (97%) reported routinely asking patients about their tobacco habits. More than two-thirds of the ANMs asked their patients about tobacco initiation (89%) and frequency of tobacco usage (81%). Majority of ANMs reported that they were aware of respiratory illnesses (79%), tuberculosis (55%), and lung cancer (75%) as conditions caused due to tobacco consumption. Low awareness was observed among the ANMs regarding tobacco as a causative agent for Cardio vascular diseases (39%). Awareness of adverse reproductive and child health effects like premature delivery, still birth and low birth weight (less than 15%) associated with tobacco use was also very low. Only about onethird of respondents (36%) assist all patients by providing information about harmful effects. Majority of ANMs provided information to patients suffering from specific diseases (64%). Cough and respiratory diseases (56%) were the conditions for which ANMs provided information on health effects of tobacco. Less than 10% of ANMs provided information on health effects of tobacco to patients seeking antenatal care. Conclusion: Findings indicate that majority of ANMs ask patients about tobacco use but provides advice only to patients suffering from specific diseases. A context-specific capacity building package needs to be designed to equip ANMs in recommend 5A' s approach in tobacco cessation.