Home- and Car-Based Rules in Foster Care Settings to Reduce Exposure to Secondhand Smoke: Before and after Romanian National Clean Air Legislation.

Background: To evaluate changes in smoke free rules in the foster care system after the implementation of the Romanian national clean air law. Methods: A repeated cross-sectional, self-administered questionnaire among foster care employees (n = 599) was conducted in 58 foster care homes during 2014 (n = 295) and 51 homes during 2016 (n = 304). We estimated the absolute difference in the proportion of employees who stated that smoke free rules existed before and after national clean air legislation. Results: There was an absolute increase in 4 of 5 smoke free measures after the law: bans on non-cigarette tobacco products (n = 169 to 206, +10.6%), non-smoking on premises for adults (n = 142 to 202, +18.3%), and for children (n = 201 to 239, +10.3%), and no smoking in cars to transport children (n = 194 to 227, +9%). There was a significant increase in the perception of outdoor bans that prohibit employees from smoking on foster care home premises (AOR 2.24, 95% CI 1.14(-)4.38). The increase in the perception of indoor smoking bans did not change. Conclusion: The national law may have had a spillover influence by strengthening smoke free rules in unregulated spaces. Nonetheless, foster care home rules could be further enhanced, particularly in cars that transport children

ACL 85. Nonlinear optical characterization of functionalized organometallic complexes using THG and Z-scan techniques

International audienc

A couples-focused intervention for smoking cessation during pregnancy: The study protocol of the Quit Together pilot randomized controlled trial

Tobacco smoking remains the leading global cause of preventable disease and death. Preconception and pregnancy smoking are high in Central and Eastern Europe. Quit Together is a partnership between a US university and a Romanian university, obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Romania, and other community partners in Romania. The objective of the Quit Together pilot study is to adapt, enhance and test the implementation feasibility and initial efficacy of an evidence-based pregnancy and postnatal couple intervention for smoking cessation in Romania. Quit Together builds on the Motivation and Problem Solving (MAPS) approach, enhanced by targeting the couples’ smoking behavior and focusing on dyadic efficacy for smoking cessation. The study is an ongoing randomized controlled trial of 120 Romanian pregnant smokers and their partners. Participants are randomized to: 1) an intervention arm consisting, typically, of up to 8 prenatal and postnatal telephone counseling calls for the women and 4 for their partners, combining motivational strategies and problem-solving/ coping skills to encourage the woman to quit smoking and the partner to support her decision; and 2) a control arm (usual care). The primary outcome is maternal biochemically verified smoking abstinence at 3 months postpartum. Quit Together has the potential to identify effective strategies to increase maternal smoking cessation during pregnancy and smoking abstinence after birth. If effective, Quit Together is expected to have a sustainable positive impact on the health of the child, mother and partner, and potentially reduced health system costs