title: Enhancing partner support to improve smoking cessation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While many cessation programs are available to assist smokers in quitting, research suggests that partner involvement may encourage long-term abstinence.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this review was to determine if an intervention to enhance partner support helps smoking cessation when added as an adjunct to a smoking cessation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  The search was performed in: Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group specialized register (Apr 2004), Cochrane controlled trials register (Apr 2004), CDC and Prevention-Tobacco Information and Prevention Database (Jul 2000), MEDLINE (1966-Apr 2004), Cancer Lit (1966-Apr 2004), EMBASE (1974-Apr 2004), CINAHL (1966-Jul 2000), PsycInfo (1861-Apr 2004), ERIC, PsycLit, & Dissertation Abstracts (1861-Dec 1999), SSCI (1972-Apr 2004) and HealthStar (1975-Jul 2000). The search terms used were smoking (prevention, control, therapy), smoking cessation, and support (family, marriage, spouse, partner, sexual partner, buddy, friend, co-habitees, and co-worker). The search was also limited to English language.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized controlled trials of smoking cessation interventions that compared an intervention that included a partner support component with an otherwise identical intervention and reported follow-up of 6 months or greater.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two reviewers independently identified the included studies and extracted data using a structured form. A third reviewer was consulted to aid in the resolution of discrepancies. Abstinence and biochemical assessment were the primary outcome measures and were analyzed at two post-treatment intervals: 6-9 months and >12 months. The scores of PIQ (partner interaction questionnaire) were also analyzed to assess partner support. A fixed-effects model was used to assess the summary effect of the studies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 40 articles were identified for this review. Only eight articles (nine studies) met the inclusion criteria. The definition of partner varied among the studies. All studies included data on self reported smoking cessation rates, but there was limited biochemical validation of abstinence rates. The odds ratio for self-reported abstinence at 6-9 months was 1.08 (CI 95%, 0.81 -1.44); and at 12 months post-treatment was 1.0 (CI 95%, 0.75 - 1.34). Of the six studies that measured partner support at follow-up, only two studies reported significant increase in partner support in the intervention groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this review of the randomized controlled trials of interventions designed to enhance partner support for smokers in cessation programs, we failed to detect an increase in quit rates. Limited data from several of the trials suggest that these interventions did not increase partner support either. No conclusions can be made about the impact of partner support on smoking cessation. More systematic intervention to affect partnership significantly should be delivered if partner support were part of an existing cessation program.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Medicine, Medical College of Dankook University, 16-5 Anseo-Dong, Cheonan, Chungnam, South Korea, 330-715.
authors.forename: E-W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Schultz
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tudiver
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Campbell
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Becker
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses