You Quit. Two Quit.
The Problem
North Carolina has among the highest rates of infant death in the United States. HWTFC’s second new effort will decrease maternal and infant mortality and morbidity by reducing tobacco use and exposure. The goal of the project is to increase the number of women who stop smoking during pregnancy and decrease the number of women who return to smoking after the baby is born. It has been established that the overall infant mortality rate in the state would drop between 10-20% if women were to stop smoking during pregnancy.
HWTF Solution (program description)
HWTFC will work with the Center for Maternal and Infant Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine to conduct a 3-year prenatal and postpartum cessation program. The program will include a statewide education and outreach campaign. In addition, intensive pilot projects will be conducted through the local health department in four North Carolina counties where the smoking rate among pregnant women is at least 19%. Pilot programs will target Medicaid recipients. The pilot will develop four best-practice, sustainable, community-based smoking cessation projects for this hard-to-reach population.