Home smoking restrictions: which smokers have them and how they are associated with smoking behavior.
Home smoking restrictions have primarily been promoted as a means of protecting non-smokers from secondhand tobacco smoke. However, research suggests that smokers who live in smoke-free homes may modify their smoking behavior. Population-based survey data from California (n = 8904) were used to confirm this association and to examine demographic and social characteristics of smokers who reported home smoking restrictions. Report of a recent quit attempt and intention to quit were associated with family preference that the smoker not smoke, with home smoking restrictions appearing to be a concrete expression of this social pressure. In contrast, light smoking (< 15 cigarettes/day) was negatively related to family preference (light smokers may not offend non-smokers) but very positively related to the level of home smoking restrictions. Additionally, smoke-free homes appear to prolong time to relapse following cessation. Male smokers were more likely than females to report smoke-free homes, and such reports decreased with age. While Hispanics and Asians were more likely to report smoke-free homes than Non-Hispanic whites, African Americans were less likely to report them. After adjusting for demographics, smokers were nearly 6 times more likely to report smoke-free homes if they lived with a non-smoking adult and child compared to when there was no child or adult non-smoker in the household, and over 5 times more likely to report a smoke-free home if they believed in the harmfulness of secondhand smoke. Tobacco Control efforts to promote smoke-free homes may give family members leverage to encourage smokers to quit, and to modify smokers' behavior in ways that would help them quit and stay quit.
Gilpin
E A
EA
Cancer Prevention and Control Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0645, USA.
White
M M
MM
Farkas
A J
AJ
Pierce
J P
JP
D000206:Actuarial Analysis; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012056:Reinforcement, Social; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology