Smoking cessation: using group intervention methods to treat low-income women

Cigarette smoking, the leading cause of preventable death in the United States, has become an increasing concern for women. Women's smoking prevalence will soon surpass men's, and the tobacco industry continues to target women in its advertising campaigns. This article presents findings from a descriptive study, including the development, implementation, and evaluation of a group intervention designed for low-income women and conducted in an urban primary care clinic. Of the 55 female smokers who agreed to complete a smoking questionnaire, nine completed the 6-week program led by two nurse practitioners. The women smoked an average of 22.7 cigarettes/day at the start of the program and 9.2 cigarettes/day at its conclusion. Of the nine women, eight moved from the precontemplation stage to preparation, and all nine quit smoking for at least 1 month during the first months after the intervention. Group intervention is presented as an effective method of smoking intervention for providers in primary care.