Spontaneous cessation of smoking and alcohol use among low-income pregnant women

Approximately 15% of US women currently smoke during pregnancy. An important step toward providing effective smoking cessation interventions during pregnancy is to identify individuals who are more likely to encounter difficulty quitting. Pregnant smokers frequently report smoking in response to intrapersonal factors (e.g., negative emotions), but successful cessation attempts can also be influenced by interpersonal factors (i.e., influence from close others). This study examined the association between emotion regulation difficulties, positive and negative social control (e.g., encouragement, criticism), and smoking cessation-related variables (i.e., smoking quantity, withdrawal symptoms) among pregnant smokers. Data were drawn from the pretreatment wave of a smoking cessation trial enrolling low-income pregnant women who self-reported smoking in response to negative affect (N = 73). Greater emotion regulation difficulties were related to greater smoking urges (b = 0.295, p = .042) and withdrawal symptoms (b = 0.085, p = .003). Additionally, more negative social control from close others was related to fewer smoking days (b = -0.614, p = .042) and higher smoking abstinence self-efficacy (b = 0.017, p = .002). More positive social control from close others interacted with negative affect smoking (b = -0.052, p = .043); the association between negative affect smoking and nicotine dependence (b = 0.812, p < .001) only occurred at low levels of positive social control. Findings suggest that emotion regulation difficulties may contribute to smoking during pregnancy by exacerbating women's negative experiences related to smoking cessation attempts. Negative social control was related to lower smoking frequency and greater confidence in quitting smoking, suggesting that it may assist pregnant smokers' cessation efforts. Positive social control buffered women from the effects of negative affect smoking on nicotine dependence.

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Identifying Mobile Health Technology Experiences and Preferences of Low-Income Pregnant Women with Diabetes

Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology ◽

10.1177/1932296821993175 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 193229682199317

Author(s):

Karolina Leziak ◽

Eleanor Birch ◽

Jenise Jackson ◽

Angelina Strohbach ◽

Charlotte Niznik ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Mobile Health ◽

Low Income ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Health Inequities ◽

Comparison Method ◽

Rapid Expansion ◽

Self Management ◽

Postpartum Women ◽

Design Elements

Background: Rapid expansion of mobile technology has resulted in the development of many mobile health (“mHealth”) platforms for health monitoring and support. However, applicability, desirability, and extent of tailoring of these platforms for pregnant women, particularly in populations who experience the greatest health inequities—such as women with diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or those with greater socioeconomic barriers—remains unknown. The objective is to understand low-income pregnant women’s experiences and preferences for mHealth tools to support DM health and improve DM self-management during pregnancy. Methods: Low-income pregnant and postpartum women were included in individual interviews or focus groups; women with type 2 DM, gestational DM, or no DM were included. Analysis was performed with the constant comparison method. Results: In this population of 45 ( N=37 with DM) low-income, largely minority, pregnant and postpartum women, 100% reported access to smartphones and prior experience with apps. Interest in mHealth to support health and engagement during pregnancy was high. Preferences for general mHealth features included education that reduces uncertainty, support communities, visualizing progress, convenient access to information, and support for better management of pregnancy-related tasks. Preferred design elements included personalization, interactive features, and integrated graphics. Women with DM expressed multiple additional DM-specific needs, including support tools for DM self-management and self-regulation tasks. Conclusion: Pregnant and postpartum women, especially those with DM, desire mHealth technology to support engagement and to adapt lifestyle guidelines and treatment requirements for a healthy pregnancy. Further work to develop mHealth interventions tailored for target populations remains a key step in reducing health inequities and promoting access to evidence-based perinatal health interventions.

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Psychological distress and alcohol use disorder during the COVID-19 era among middle- and low-income U.S. adults  

Journal of Affective Disorders ◽

10.1016/j.jad.2021.03.085 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Jack Tsai ◽

Eric B. Elbogen ◽

Minda Huang ◽

Carol S. North ◽

Robert H. Pietrzak

Keyword(s):

Psychological Distress ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Low Income ◽

Alcohol Use Disorder

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Serum Concentrations of Selected Organochlorines in Pregnant Women and Associations with Pregnancy Outcomes. A Cross-Sectional Study from Two Rural Settings in Cambodia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph17207652 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (20) ◽

pp. 7652

Author(s):

Margit Steinholt ◽

Shanshan Xu ◽

Sam Ol Ha ◽

Duong Trong Phi ◽

Maria Lisa Odland ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Gestational Age ◽

Low Income ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Maternal Serum ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Serum Samples ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Rural Settings

We conducted a cross-sectional study among 194 pregnant women from two low-income settings in Cambodia. The inclusion period lasted from October 2015 through December 2017. Maternal serum samples were analyzed for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). The aim was to study potential effects on birth outcomes. We found low levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCP), except for heptachlors, β-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), heptachlor epoxide, and p,p’-DDE. There were few differences between the two study locations. However, the women from the poorest areas had significantly higher concentrations of p,p’-DDE (p < 0.001) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) (p = 0.002). The maternal factors associated with exposure were parity, age, residential area, and educational level. Despite low maternal levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, we found significant negative associations between the PCB congeners 99 (95% CI: −2.51 to −0.07), 138 (95% CI: −1.28 to −0.32), and 153 (95% CI: −1.06 to −0.05) and gestational age. Further, there were significant negative associations between gestational age, birth length, and maternal levels of o,p’-DDE. Moreover, o,p’-DDD had positive associations with birth weight, and both p,p’-DDD and o,p’-DDE were positively associated with the baby’s ponderal index. The poorest population had higher exposure and less favorable outcomes.

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Improving oral health in low-income pregnant women with a nurse practitioner-directed oral care program

Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners ◽

10.1111/j.1745-7599.2011.00606.x ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 23 (5) ◽

pp. 249-257 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Nancy J. Cibulka ◽

Sandra Forney ◽

Kathy Goodwin ◽

Patricia Lazaroff ◽

Rebecca Sarabia

Keyword(s):

Oral Health ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Nurse Practitioner ◽

Low Income ◽

Oral Care ◽

Care Program

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653 Perceived stress among low income pregnant women in during the COVID-19 pandemic

American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology ◽

10.1016/j.ajog.2020.12.677 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 224 (2) ◽

pp. S410-S411

Author(s):

Miriam Kuppermann ◽

Bridgette Blebu ◽

Jazmin Fontenot ◽

Charles McCulloch ◽

Kimberly Coleman-Phox ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pregnant Women ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Low Income

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Drug Use, Drug Trafficking, and Weapon Carrying Among Low-Income, African-American, Early Adolescent Boys

PEDIATRICS ◽

10.1542/peds.93.6.1065 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 93 (6) ◽

pp. 1065-1072

Author(s):

Maureen M. Black ◽

Izabel B. Ricardo

Keyword(s):

African American ◽

High Risk ◽

Alcohol Use ◽

Low Income ◽

Drug Trafficking ◽

Early Adolescent ◽

Weapon Carrying ◽

Risk Practices ◽

Drug Involvement ◽

Drug Activities

Objective. To examine relationships involving three extremely high-risk behaviors (drug use, drug trafficking, and weapon carrying) among low-income, urban, African-American early adolescent boys using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Method. The quantitative phase included 192 African-American boys from 9 through 15 years of age recruited from recreation centers located in low-income communities. Youth completed a survey addressing personal risk practices; intentions to engage in risk practices; risk taking among family, friends and community; and values toward risk practices. They also completed standardized assessments of sensation seeking, perceived peer pressure, and parent-child communication. All questionnaires were self-administered through MacIntosh computers programmed to present questions aurally and visually. The qualitative phase included 12 African-American youth from low-income, urban families. The youth participated in 60- to 90-minute interviews regarding drug activities and violence. Results. Most boys (73%) were not involved in either drug activities or weapon carrying. Boys who were involved in drug activities or weapon carrying were often involved in other high-risk activities (cigarette and alcohol use, school failure and expulsion) and had low rates of adaptive communication with their parents. The boys reported high rates of drug involvement by their family, friends, and community. However, psychological and interpersonal factors were better predictors of individual risk activities than community or family variables. Personal values regarding economics predicted drug trafficking. More than 56% of the boys who reported past involvement in drug activities did not anticipate future involvement. Conclusions. Multilevel strategies are necessary to prevent involvement in drug activities and weapon carrying. Intervention programs should begin early and should promote communication between parents and children, adaptive behavior in school, and avoidance of cigarette and alcohol use. Community-level interventions are needed to alter the myth that drug involvement and weapon carrying are normative and to promote images that are less materialistic and more supportive of education and future-oriented activities.

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Assessment of knowledge and practices of Internally Displaced pregnant women attending to antenatal clinic center at Arbat camp in Sulaimani, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

Kurdistan Journal of Applied Research ◽

10.24017/science.2018.1.10 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 52-56

Author(s):

Layla Abdulkhalk Abass

Keyword(s):

Antenatal Care ◽

Pregnant Women ◽

Low Income ◽

Reproductive Age ◽

Good Knowledge ◽

Internally Displaced Persons ◽

Islamic State ◽

Displaced Persons ◽

Kurdistan Region ◽

Internally Displaced

Internally displaced persons are peoples displaced in it is own country but not crossed a border. After (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria attacked in 2014 to Iraq, millions of Iraqi people flee from their own city war zone to safe camps in Kurdistan region north of Iraq, Arbat camp is one of these camps. Iraqi civilian people constitute most new displacement persons around the world as at least 2.2 million were displaced in 2014. An important part of basic maternal health care is antenatal care that must be provided during pregnancy. Aim of this study is to provide demographic data of Internally Displaced Persons pregnant women and the effect on antenatal care knowledge and practices among of Arbat camp that visits to camp health centers on their health. Assessment of knowledge and practices of pregnant women about antennal care. A cross-sectional descriptive study has been conducted to assess the knowledge and practices of (103) women attended to antenatal care of internally displaced persons) at Arbat camps between 1 January to 30 June 2016. Data collected through the questionnaire form by face-to-face interview. Statistical analyses performed by using SPSS version 16.0, to find descriptive analysis like percentage and frequency and for relative statistical analysis. The results have revealed that most of the pregnant women were in the active reproductive age group 18-25 years old 56(54.4%) pregnant women, housewives 102(99%), illiterate 48(46.6%) pregnant women, were in families that have low income with 48(46.6%) pregnant women with significant relation to the knowledge and practices to antenatal care. In conclusion, most pregnant women have very good knowledge about antenatal care except about performing oral health hygiene during pregnancy. The majority of pregnant women in camps have very good knowledge about all practices that must be do during antenatal except taking medication without a physician prescription.

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