Type of Social Support for Smoking Cessation Among Low-Income Postpartum Women

Efficacious programs to sustain smoking cessation are limited for postpartum women, particularly for those who are low-income. Social support may help enhance cessation efforts. However, the specific types of support potentially associated with cessation success are not well evaluated. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between different types of social support and smoking relapse among low-income women in the postpartum phase.

A secondary data analysis was completed using data from a single-arm pilot study assessing a smoking cessation intervention for low-income postpartum women. Women were recruited from Philadelphia Women, Infants, and Children clinics (N = 106) and completed a baseline and 1-month follow-up survey. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship between types of social support and smoking relapse, specifically cessation-specific support (Ways of Quitting social support subscale) as well as general (non-smoking focused) social support and its subdomains (i.e., emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, social positive support (Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey)).

Participants were predominantly non-Hispanic Black (64%), 33% lived with their significant other, and 71% had a household income below $15,000. Most participants had relapsed by the 1-month postpartum assessment (77%). In the final regression models, cessation-specific support was significantly associated with staying smoke free at 1 month postpartum. However, neither general social support nor its subdomains were associated with staying smoke free.

Cessation-specific support may bolster women's cessation attempts during the stressful postpartum period. Smoking cessation interventions should consider integrating cessation-specific support to decrease relapse rates among low-income postpartum women.