NSR III - BIPS

EURO-scip III Survey Report – Ireland
This research was conducted in the Health Service West area. This
administrative health area covers the northwestern, mid western and western
region of Ireland. The questionaire was administrated by Women of the
North West (Moygownagh Community Development Project) located in
Moygownagh Community Centre north of Ballina in County Mayo.
The work of the project is closely linked with the women’s health activity of
the project. The organisation WNW has a long association with women’s
health activity. The association first began at the time of the Beijing United
Nations Women’s Conference 1995. The tradition of gender specific health
promotion connections between Women of the North West and Health
Authorities has enabled this research. This is so because of a close working
connection and co-operation between WNW and the health authorities both
local and national is now well established. However, it must also be
acknowledged that the actual collection of the data for this particualr was not
easy. Furthermore, it must be also stated that gneral data on smoking in
pregnancy in Ireland is not readily available. Neither is there overt evidence
that pregnant women are a source of active anti smoking preventative
measures within the healthcare sector. Cases of preventative measures
appear to be of a pilot nature.
It is against this background that the research aspect of the Irish Euro-scip
111 project was conducted.
The specific aim of this project work was to estimate smoking prevalence
amongst pregnant women at different stages during their pregnancy. The
objective being the creation and updating of a data base in eight countries,
namely; Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, greece, Ireland and Portugal. The Irish
research site (Women of the North West) are anxious to acknowledge the
assistance and support of the the offices of the HSE West Smoking
Cessation, the Women’s Health Co-ordinator and the regional hospitals
midwifery personnel.
Methodology
Initially, 300 GP’s were targetted throughout the Western area. This route
was chosen because of the potential of access to a wide population of
pregnant women given GP’s provide combined ante-natal care. The cooperation
of the GP’s was sought with the aid of a letter of introduction.
Stamped addressed envelopes were included with the questionaire and letter
of introduction.
By September of 2005 it was apparent that the response rate was slow and
consequently low. Such a response was not adequate to secure 200
completed questionaires.. Therefore, it was decided to engage the assistance
of maternity hospital midwives and key hospital personnel engaged in antismoking
motivational training. The strategy proved benefical to the collection
of the data with just under 200 questionaires having been returned by late
December 2005. However, attention must be drawn to the fact that reliance
on this method of the data collection by the smoking pervention personnel
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