Proactive enrollment of parents to tobacco quitlines in pediatric practices is associated with greater quitline use: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Every U.S. state has a free telephone quitline that tobacco users can access to receive cessation assistance, yet referral rates for parents in the pediatric setting remain low. This study evaluates, within pediatric offices, the impact of proactive enrollment of parents to quitlines compared to provider suggestion to use the quitline and identifies other factors associated with parental quitline use. METHODS: As part of a cluster randomized controlled trial (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure), research assistants completed post-visit exit interviews with parents in 20 practices in 16 states. Parents' quitline use was assessed at a 12-month follow-up interview. A multivariable analysis was conducted for quitline use at 12 months using a logistic regression model with generalized estimating equations to account for provider clustering. Self-reported cessation rates were also compared among quitline users based on the type of referral they received at their child's doctor's office. RESULTS: Of the 1980 parents enrolled in the study, 1355 (68 %) completed a 12-month telephone interview and of those 139 (10 %) reported talking with a quitline (15 % intervention versus 6 % control; p < .0001). Parents who were Hispanic (aOR 2.12 (1.22, 3.70)), black (aOR 1.57 (1.14, 2.16)), planned to quit smoking in the next 30 days (aOR 2.32 (1.47, 3.64)), and had attended an intervention practice (aOR 2.37 (1.31, 4.29)) were more likely to have talked with a quitline. Parents who only received a suggestion from a healthcare provider to use the quitline (aOR 0.45 (0.23, 0.90)) and those who were not enrolled and did not receive a suggestion (aOR 0.33 (0.17, 0.64)) were less likely to talk with a quitline than those who were enrolled in the quitline during the baseline visit. Self-reported cessation rates among quitline users were similar regardless of being proactively enrolled (19 %), receiving only a suggestion (25 %), or receiving neither a suggestion nor an enrollment (17 %) during a visit (p = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the enhanced clinical effectiveness of not just recommending the quitline to parents but also offering them enrollment in the quitline at the time of their child's visit to the pediatric office. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00664261.

Overcoming challenges in the changing environment of practice-based research.

PURPOSE: Conducting studies in national practice-based research networks presents logistic and methodologic challenges. Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) has learned valuable lessons in implementing new strategies and adapting to challenges. We describe practical challenges and results of novel applied strategies in implementing and testing the Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) intervention as part of a national-level cluster-randomized controlled trial. METHODS: In the trial, 20 PROS practices were randomized to either a CEASE intervention arm or a control arm. Parents of children seen in the office who indicated smoking in the past 7 days were asked to complete a postvisit enrollment interview and telephone interviews 3 and 12 months later. Identified challenges included (1) recruiting 20 practices serving a high percentage of parent smokers; (2) screening all parents bringing children for visits and enrolling eligible parents who smoked; and (3) achieving an acceptable 12-month telephone response rate. RESULTS: A total of 47 interested practices completed the Practice Population Survey, of which 20 practices in 16 states completed parent enrollment. Thirty-two research assistants screened 18,607 parents and enrolled 1,980 of them. The initial telephone interview response rate was 56% at 12 months, with incorrect and disconnected numbers accounting for nearly 60% of nonresponses. The response rate rose to 67% after practices supplied 532 new contact numbers and 754 text messages were sent, with 389 parents completing interviews. CONCLUSION: The strategies we used to overcome methodologic barriers in conducting a national intervention trial allowed data collection to be completed in the office setting and increased the telephone interview response rate.

Parent smoker role conflict and planning to quit smoking: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Role conflict can motivate behavior change. No prior studies have explored the association between parent/smoker role conflict and readiness to quit. The objective of the study is to assess the association of a measure of parent/smoker role conflict with other parent and child characteristics and to test the hypothesis that parent/smoker role conflict is associated with a parent's intention to quit smoking in the next 30 days. As part of a cluster randomized controlled trial to address parental smoking (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure-CEASE), research assistants completed exit interviews with 1980 parents whose children had been seen in 20 Pediatric Research in Office Settings (PROS) practices and asked a novel identity-conflict question about "how strongly you agree or disagree" with the statement, "My being a smoker gets in the way of my being a parent." Response choices were dichotomized as "Strongly Agree" or "Agree" versus "Disagree" or "Strongly Disagree" for the analysis. Parents were also asked whether they were "seriously planning to quit smoking in 30 days." Chi-square and logistic regression were performed to assess the association between role conflict and other parent/children characteristics. A similar strategy was used to determine whether role conflict was independently associated with intention to quit in the next 30 days. METHODS: As part of a RTC in 20 pediatric practices, exit interviews were held with smoking parents after their child's exam. Parents who smoked were asked questions about smoking behavior, smoke-free home and car rules, and role conflict. Role conflict was assessed with the question, "Please tell me how strongly you agree or disagree with the statement: 'My being a smoker gets in the way of my being a parent.' (Answer choices were: "Strongly agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree.") RESULTS: Of 1980 eligible smokers identified, 1935 (97%) responded to the role-conflict question, and of those, 563 (29%) reported experiencing conflict. Factors that were significantly associated with parent/smoker role conflict in the multivariable model included: being non-Hispanic white, allowing home smoking, the child being seen that day for a sick visit, parents receiving any assistance for their smoking, and planning to quit in the next 30 days. In a separate multivariable logistic regression model, parent/smoker role conflict was independently associated with intention to quit in the next 30 days [AOR 2.25 (95% CI 1.80-2.18)]. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated an association between parent/smoker role conflict and readiness to quit. Interventions that increase parent/smoker role conflict might act to increase readiness to quit among parents who smoke.

Distance-based training in two community health centers to address tobacco smoke exposure of children.

BACKGROUND: The CEASE (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure) intervention was developed to help pediatricians routinely and effectively address the harms of family smoking behaviors. Based on paper versions of CEASE, we partnered with the American Academy of Pediatrics' online education department and developed a completely distance-based training, including an online CME training, handouts and education materials for families, and phone and email support. METHODS: The pediatric offices of two low income health clinics with primarily Medicaid populations were selected for the study. Pre and post intervention data by survey of the parents was collected in both practices (Practice 1 n = 470; Practice 2 n = 177). The primary outcome for this study was a comparison of rates of clinician's asking and advising parents about smoking and smoke-free home and cars. RESULTS: Exit surveys of parents revealed statistically significant increases in rates of clinicians asking about parental smoking (22% vs. 41%), smoke-free rules (25% vs. 44%), and asking about other smoking household members (26% vs. 48%). CONCLUSIONS: Through a completely distance based intervention, we were able to train pediatricians who see low income children to ask parents about smoking, smoke-free home and car rules, and whether other household members smoke. Implementing a system to routinely ask about family tobacco use and smoke-free home and car rules is a first step to effectively addressing tobacco in a pediatric office setting. By knowing which family members use tobacco, pediatricians can take the next steps to help families become completely tobacco-free. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials number: NCT01087177.

The Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) Intervention: A Decade of Lessons Learned.

OBJECTIVE: To describe lessons learned in developing the CEASE tobacco control intervention. METHODS: Descriptive report. RESULTS: Tobacco use and tobacco smoke exposure harm families in a multitude of ways. The child health care setting is the ideal location to address parental smoking and tobacco smoke exposure in children. Few interventions have been developed specifically for families in the child health care setting. One such intervention, the CEASE program, was developed with assistance from tobacco control experts, pediatric researchers, policy makers, and child health care clinicians to address parental smoking. CONCLUSION: An effective tobacco cessation intervention can be developed in a systematic way that may not require extensive resources and expertise.

Addressing Family Smoking in Child Health Care Settings.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss strategies for integrating evidence-based tobacco use screening, cessation assistance, and referral to outside services into visits with families in outpatient child health care settings. METHODS: Presentation of counseling scenarios used in the Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) training video and commentary. RESULTS: Demonstrated strategies include: eliciting information about interest and readiness to quit smoking, respectfully setting an agenda to discuss smoking, tailoring advice and education to the specific circumstances, keeping the dialogue open, prescribing cessation medication, helping the smoker set an action plan for cessation, enrolling the smoker in free telephone counseling through the state quitline, and working with family members to establish a completely smoke-free home and car. Video demonstrations of these techniques are available at www.ceasetobacco.org. CONCLUSION: Child health care clinicians have a unique opportunity to address family smoking and can be most effective by adapting evidence-based tobacco cessation counseling strategies for visits in the pediatric setting.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Happiness and Smoking Cessation among Parents.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking cessation among adults is associated with increased happiness. This association has not been measured in parents, a subset of adults who face uniquely stressful and challenging circumstances that can affect happiness. AIMS: To determine if parental smoking cessation is associated with increased happiness and to identify characteristics of parental quitters who experience increased happiness. METHODS: 1355 parents completed a 12-month follow-up interview from a U.S. national trial, Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE). Multivariable logistic regression examined if level of happiness was independently associated with quitting smoking and identified characteristics associated with feeling happier after quitting smoking. RESULTS/FINDINGS: Parents' level of happiness was independently associated with quitting smoking (aOR=1.60, 95% CI=1.42-1.79). Factors associated with increased happiness among quitters include engaging in evidence-based cessation assistance (aOR=2.69, 95% CI=1.16-6.26), and adopting strictly enforced smoke-free home (aOR=2.55, 95% CI=1.19-5.48) and car (aOR=3.85, 95% CI=1.94-7.63) policies. Additionally, parents who believed that being a smoker got in the way of being a parent (aOR=5.37, 95% CI=2.61-11.07) and who believed that thirdhand smoke is harmful to children (aOR=3.28, 95% CI=1.16-9.28) were more likely to report feeling happier after quitting. CONCLUSIONS: Parents who quit smoking reported being happier than parents who did not quit. Though prospective studies can clarify what factors cause an increase in happiness, letting pediatricians know that most parents who smoke report being happier when quitting may facilitate communication with parents around cessation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT00664261.

Black versus white differences in rates of addressing parental tobacco use in the pediatric setting.

OBJECTIVE: To examine racial differences in rates of screening parents for cigarette smoking during pediatric outpatient visits and to determine if a parental tobacco control intervention mitigates racial variation in whether cigarette smoking is addressed. METHODS: As part of the Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) randomized controlled trial, exit interviews were conducted with parents at 10 control and 10 intervention pediatric practices nationally. Parents were asked to report if during the visit did anyone ask if they smoke cigarettes. A generalized linear mixed model was used to estimate the effect of black vs white race on asking parents about cigarette smoking. RESULTS: Among 17,692 parents screened at the exit interview, the proportion of black parents who were current smokers (16%) was lower than the proportion of white parents who smoked (20%) (P < .001). In control group practices, black parents were more likely to be asked (adjusted risk ratio 1.23; 95% confidence interval 1.08, 1.40) about cigarette smoking by pediatricians than whites. In intervention group practices both black and white parents were more likely to be asked about smoking than those in control practices and there was no significant difference between black and white parents in the likelihood of being asked (adjusted risk ratio 1.01; 95% confidence interval 0.93, 1.09). CONCLUSIONS: Although a smaller proportion of black parents in control practices smoked than white, black parents were more likely to be asked by pediatricians about smoking. The CEASE intervention was associated with higher levels of screening for smoking for both black and white parents.

Thirdhand smoke beliefs of parents.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the belief that thirdhand smoke is harmful to children is associated with smoking parents' attitudes, home or car smoking policies, and quitting behaviors. METHODS: Data from a national randomized controlled trial, Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure, assessed thirdhand smoke beliefs of 1947 smoking parents in an exit survey after a pediatric office visit in 10 intervention and 10 control practices. Twelve-month follow-up data were collected from 1355 parents. Multivariable logistic regression determined whether belief that thirdhand smoke harms the health of children is independently associated with parental behaviors and attitudes 12 months later. A χ(2) test assessed whether parents who disagreed that thirdhand smoke is harmful were more likely to make a quit attempt if they later believed that thirdhand smoke is harmful. RESULTS: Belief at the exit survey that thirdhand smoke is harmful was independently associated with having a strictly enforced smoke-free home policy (adjusted odds ratio: 2.05; 95% CI: 1.37-3.05) and car policy (adjusted odds ratio: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.04-2.74) at the 12-month follow-up. A significantly higher percentage (71% vs 50%) of parents who did not hold the thirdhand smoke harm belief at baseline made at least 1 quit attempt if they agreed that thirdhand smoke is harmful at the 12-month follow-up (P = .02). CONCLUSIONS: Thirdhand smoke harm belief was associated with a strictly enforced smoke-free home and car and attempts to quit smoking. Sensitizing parents to thirdhand smoke risk could facilitate beneficial tobacco control outcomes.

Sustainability of a parental tobacco control intervention in pediatric practice.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an evidence-based pediatric outpatient intervention for parents who smoke persisted after initial implementation. METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial of 20 pediatric practices in 16 states that received either Clinical and Community Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure (CEASE) intervention or usual care. The intervention provided practices with training to provide evidence-based assistance to parents who smoke. The primary outcome, assessed by the 12-month follow-up telephone survey with parents, was provision of meaningful tobacco control assistance, defined as discussing various strategies to quit smoking, discussing smoking cessation medication, or recommending the use of the state quitline after initial enrollment visit. We also assessed parental quit rates at 12 months, determined by self-report and biochemical verification. RESULTS: Practices' rates of providing any meaningful tobacco control assistance (55% vs 19%), discussing various strategies to quit smoking (25% vs 10%), discussing cessation medication (41% vs 11%), and recommending the use of the quitline (37% vs 9%) were all significantly higher in the intervention than in the control groups, respectively (P < .0001 for each), during the 12-month postintervention implementation. Receiving any assistance was associated with a cotinine-confirmed quitting adjusted odds ratio of 1.89 (95% confidence interval: 1.13-3.19). After controlling for demographic and behavioral factors, the adjusted odds ratio for cotinine-confirmed quitting in intervention versus control practices was 1.07 (95% confidence interval: 0.64-1.78). CONCLUSIONS: Intervention practices had higher rates of delivering tobacco control assistance than usual care practices over the 1-year follow-up period. Parents who received any assistance were more likely to quit smoking; however, parents' likelihood of quitting smoking was not statistically different between the intervention and control groups. Maximizing parental quit rates will require more complete systems-level integration and adjunctive cessation strategies.

Strict smoke-free home policies among smoking parents in pediatric settings.

OBJECTIVE: To examine strict smoke-free home policies among smoking parents assessed in pediatric offices. METHODS: We analyzed baseline parental survey data from 10 control practices in a national trial of pediatric office-based tobacco control interventions (Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure, CEASE). We used logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations to examine factors associated with strict smoke-free home policies. RESULTS: Subjects were 952 parents who were current smokers. Just over half (54.3%) reported strict smoke-free home policies. Few reported being asked (19.9%) or advised (17.1%) regarding policies by pediatricians. Factors associated with higher odds of policies were child 5 years or younger (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.53, 3.86), nonblack race/ethnicity (aORs 2.17-2.60, 95% CIs 1.25-5.00), non-Medicaid (HMO/private (aOR 1.84, 95% CI 1.31, 2.58); self-pay/other aOR 1.76, 95% CI 1.12, 2.78); well-child versus sick child visit (aOR 1.61, 95% CI 1.11, 2.34), fewer than 10 cigarettes per day (aOR 1.80, 95% CI 1.31, 2.47), no other home smokers (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.26, 2.25), only father smoking (aOR 1.73, 95% CI 1.06, 2.83), and strict smoke-free car policy (aOR 3.51, 95% CI 2.19, 5.64). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of smoking parents did not have strict smoke-free home policies. Parents were less likely to report policies if they were heavier smokers, black, living with other smokers, or attending a sick child visit; if they did not have a young child or smoke-free car policy; if they had a child on Medicaid; and if anyone other than only the father smoked. Few pediatricians addressed or recommended strict smoke-free home policies in an office visit. The pediatric office encounter represents a currently missed opportunity to intervene regarding smoke-free homes, particularly for high-risk groups.

Implementation of a parental tobacco control intervention in pediatric practice.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether routine pediatric outpatient practice can be transformed to assist parents in quitting smoking. METHODS: Cluster RCT of 20 pediatric practices in 16 states that received either CEASE intervention or usual care. The intervention gave practices training and materials to change their care delivery systems to provide evidence-based assistance to parents who smoke. This assistance included motivational messaging; proactive referral to quitlines; and pharmacologic treatment of tobacco dependence. The primary outcome, assessed at an exit interview after an office visit,was provision of meaningful tobacco control assistance, defined as counseling beyond simple advice (discussing various strategies to quit smoking), prescription of medication, or referral to the state quitline, at that office visit. RESULTS: Among 18 607 parents screened after their child's office visit between June 2009 and March 2011, 3228 were eligible smokers and 1980 enrolled (999 in 10 intervention practices and 981 in 10 control practices). Practices' mean rate of delivering meaningful assistance for parental cigarette smoking was 42.5% (range 34%­66%) in the intervention group and 3.5% (range 0%­8%) in the control group (P < .0001).Rates of enrollment in the quitline (10% vs 0%); provision of smoking cessation medication (12% vs 0%); and counseling for smoking cessation(24% vs 2%) were all higher in the intervention group compared with the control group (P < .0001 for each). CONCLUSIONS: A system-level intervention implemented in 20 outpatient pediatric practices led to 12-fold higher rates of delivering tobacco control assistance to parents in the context of the pediatric office visit.

Parents smoking in their cars with children present.

OBJECTIVE: To determine prevalence and factors associated with strictly enforced smoke-free car policies among smoking parents. METHODS: As part of a cluster, randomized controlled trial addressing parental smoking, exit interviews were conducted with parents whose children were seen in 10 control pediatric practices. Parents who smoked were asked about smoking behaviors in their car and receipt of smoke-free car advice at the visit. Parents were considered to have a "strictly enforced smoke-free car policy" if they reported having a smoke-free car policy and nobody had smoked in their car within the past 3 months. RESULTS: Of 981 smoking parents, 817 (83%) had a car; of these, 795 parents answered questions about their car smoking policy. Of these 795 parents, 29% reported having a smoke-free car policy, and 24% had a strictly enforced smoke-free car policy. Of the 562 parents without a smoke-free car policy, 48% reported that smoking occurred with children present. Few parents who smoke (12%) were advised to have a smoke-free car. Multivariable logistic regression controlling for parent age, gender, education, and race showed that having a younger child and smoking ≤10 cigarettes per day were associated with having a strictly enforced smoke-free car policy. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of smoking parents exposed their children to tobacco smoke in cars. Coupled with the finding of low rates of pediatricians addressing smoking in cars, this study highlights the need for improved pediatric interventions, public health campaigns, and policies regarding smoke-free car laws to protect children from tobacco smoke.

Global teens and tobacco: a review of the globalization of the tobacco epidemic.

Worldwide, the burden of suffering to children caused by tobacco does not just originate from exposure to tobacco smoke or smoking, but includes exposure to tobacco-friendly media, poverty associated with money spent on tobacco, increased incidence of tobacco-related fires, and the harms related to child labor in tobacco cultivation. Despite global efforts through human rights acts, the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and the MPOWER report, tobacco use continues to accelerate in most countries. While the efforts that have been taken, such as smoking bans in public, are worthy actions, not enough is being done to protect children and teens. More can be done at the policy level, by individuals, and by health care providers.

Acceptability of testing children for tobacco-smoke exposure: a national parent survey.

BACKGROUND: Tests are available to measure children's exposure to tobacco smoke. One potential barrier to testing children for tobacco-smoke exposure is the belief that parents who smoke would not want their child tested. No previous surveys have assessed whether testing children for exposure to tobacco smoke in the context of their child's primary care visit is acceptable to parents. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether testing children for tobacco-smoke exposure is acceptable to parents. DESIGN AND METHODS: We conducted a national random-digit-dial telephone survey of households from September to November 2006. The sample was weighted by race and gender, based on the 2005 US Census, to be representative of the US population. RESULTS: Of 2070 eligible respondents contacted, 1803 (87.1%) completed the surveys. Among 477 parents in the sample, 60.1% thought that children should be tested for tobacco-smoke exposure at their child's doctor visit. Among the parental smokers sampled, 62.0% thought that children should be tested for tobacco-smoke exposure at the child's doctor visit. In bivariate analysis, lower parental education level, allowing smoking in the home, nonwhite race, and female gender were each associated (P < .05) with wanting the child tested for tobacco-smoke exposure. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of nonsmoking and smoking parents want their children tested for tobacco-smoke exposure during the child's health care visit.

Tobacco Control and Children: An International Perspective.

Tobacco use currently claims >5 million deaths per year worldwide and this number is projected to increase dramatically by 2030. The burden of death and disease is shifting to low- and middle-income countries. Tobacco control initiatives face numerous challenges including not being a high priority in many countries, government dependence upon immediate revenue from tobacco sales and production, and opposition of the tobacco industry. Tobacco leads to environmental harms, exploitation of workers in tobacco farming, and increased poverty. Children are especially vulnerable. Not only do they initiate tobacco use themselves, but also they are victimized by exposure to highly toxic secondhand smoke. Awareness of tobacco adverse health effects is often superficial even among health professionals. The tobacco industry continues to aggressively promote its products and recognizes that children are its future. The tools and knowledge exist, however, to dramatically reduce the global burden of tobacco. In 2003 the World Health Organization adopted the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Aggressive tobacco control initiatives have been undertaken not only in high-income countries but also in less-wealthy countries such as Uruguay and Thailand. Stakeholders must come together in coordinated efforts and there must be a broad and sustained investment in global tobacco control.

Clinical effort against secondhand smoke exposure: development of framework and intervention.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to describe a novel process and present results of formative research to develop a pediatric office intervention that uses available systems of care for addressing parental smoking. METHODS: The scientific development of the intervention occurred in 3 stages. In stage 1, we designed an office system for parental tobacco control in the pediatric outpatient setting on the basis of complementary conceptual frameworks of preventive services delivery, conceptualized for the child health care setting through a process of key interviews with leaders in the field of implementing practice change; existing Public Health Service guidelines that had been shown effective in adult practices; and adaptation of an evidence-based adult office system for tobacco control. This was an iterative process that yielded a theoretically framed intervention prototype. In stage 2, we performed focus-group testing in pediatric practices with pediatricians, nurses, clinical assistants, and key office staff. Using qualitative methods, we adapted the intervention prototype on the basis of this feedback to include 5 key implementation steps for the child health care setting. In stage 3, we presented the intervention to breakout groups at 2 national meetings of pediatric practitioners for additional refinements. RESULTS: The main result was a theoretically grounded intervention that was responsive to the barriers and suggestions raised in the focus groups and at the national meetings. The Clinical Effort Against Secondhand Smoke Exposure intervention was designed to be flexible and adaptable to the particular practices' staffing, resources, and physical configuration. Practice staff can choose materials relevant to their own particular systems of care (www.ceasetobacco.org). CONCLUSIONS: Conceptually grounded and focus-group-tested strategies for parental tobacco control are now available for implementation in the pediatric outpatient setting. The tobacco-control intervention-development process might have particular relevance for other chronic pediatric conditions that have a strong evidence base and have available treatments or resources that are underused.

Tobacco promotion and the initiation of tobacco use: assessing the evidence for causality.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to determine whether there is evidence of a causal link between exposure to tobacco promotion and the initiation of tobacco use by children. METHODS: We conducted a structured search in Medline, PsycINFO, and ABI/INFORM Global to identify relevant empirical research. The literature was examined against the Hill epidemiologic criteria for determining causality. RESULTS: (1) Children are exposed to tobacco promotion before the initiation of tobacco use; (2) exposure increases the risk for initiation; (3) there is a dose-response relationship, with greater exposure resulting in higher risk; (4) the increased risk is robust; it is observed with various study methods, in multiple populations, and with various forms of promotion and persists after controlling for other factors; (5) scientifically plausible mechanisms whereby promotion could influence initiation exist; and (6) no explanation other than causality can account for the evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Promotions foster positive attitudes, beliefs, and expectations regarding tobacco use. This fosters intentions to use and increases the likelihood of initiation. Greater exposure to promotion leads to higher risk. This is seen in diverse cultures and persists when other risk factors, such as socioeconomic status or parental and peer smoking, are controlled. Causality is the only plausible scientific explanation for the observed data. The evidence satisfies the Hill criteria, indicating that exposure to tobacco promotion causes children to initiate tobacco use.

A national survey of the acceptability of quitlines to help parents quit smoking.

OBJECTIVE: Provision of telephone smoking cessation counseling can increase the rate of quitting smoking. The US Public Health Service recently helped to establish a free national quitline enrollment service. No previous surveys have assessed the acceptability to parents of enrollment in quitline counseling in the context of their child's health care visits. Therefore, the objective of this study was to assess acceptability to parents of enrollment in quitline counseling and to compare that with the reported rate of actually being enrolled in any smoking cessation counseling outside the office in the context of the child's health care visit. METHODS: Data were collected by a national random-digit-dial telephone survey of households from September to November 2004. The sample is weighted by race and gender on the basis of the current US Census to be representative of the US population. RESULTS: Of 3615 eligible respondents contacted, 3011 (83.3%) completed surveys; 958 (31.8%) who completed the survey were parents with children under the age of 18 years. Of these parents, 187 (19.7%) were self-identified smokers. Of the parents who smoked, 113 (64.2%) said that they would accept enrollment in a telephone cessation program if the child's doctor offered it to them. In contrast, of the 122 smoking parents who accompanied their child to the doctor in the past year, only 11 (9%) had any counseling recommended to them, and only 1 (0.8%) was actually enrolled. These results did not vary by parent age, gender, race, or child age. CONCLUSIONS: When interacting with parents who smoke, child health care providers have low rates of referring and enrolling parents in any services related to smoking. Enrollment in quitlines would be acceptable to the majority of parents in the context of their child's health care visit. Tobacco control efforts in the child health care setting should include implementation of office systems that can facilitate enrollment of parental smokers in telephone quitlines.