Environment and social support for smoking cessation among community smokers in Beijing, China

This study investigated the relationship between environment support, social support and smoking cessation, to provide suggestions for the construction of environment and social support for tobacco control.

This was a secondary analysis based on two cross-sectional surveys of adult smokers who participated in the six-month community smoking cessation intervention projects in Beijing. The study subjects were divided into a successful group (n=159) and an unsuccessful group (n=253). The status of the environment support, community tobacco exposure, and social support were compared between groups. A structural equation model (SEM) was established for Confirmatory Factor Analysis.

The univariate analysis showed that there were differences in smoking cessation outcomes among smokers with different home tobacco regulations, workplace tobacco regulations and number of smokers in the family. Differences in 6-month smoking reduction were also found with different promotion levels of anti-tobacco messaging and the frequency of smoking events at home. The logistic regression analysis indicated that home tobacco regulations (OR=1.30; 95% CI: 1.00-1.69), workplace tobacco regulations (OR=1.27; 95% CI: 1.05- 1.54), and frequency of smoking events at home (OR=1.15; 95% CI: 1.02-1.29), were associated with smoking cessation. The results of the SEM showed that environment support (β=0.39; 95% CI: 0.05-0.73, p=0.026) and social support (β=0.37; 95% CI: 0.05-0.68, p=0.022) had influence on smoking cessation.

Environment support and social support are related to smoking cessation. Attention should be paid to the smoking regulations at home and workplace, anti-tobacco messaging, and social support by the family.

The study was registered on the official website of the China Clinical Trial Registration Center. Identifier: ChiCTR1900024991.