Women helping chewers: Effects of partner support on 12-month tobacco abstinence in a smokeless tobacco cessation trial.
BACKGROUND
Social support has been relatively unstudied in smokeless tobacco cessation research; partner support could encourage quitting, buffer the stress of quitting and withdrawal, and counteract tobacco cues.


METHODS
Using 12-month follow-up data, we examined the impact of social support provided by female partners (n = 328) of male participants in a smokeless tobacco cessation program.


RESULTS
The ratio of positive support to negative support that participants reported receiving from their partners was significantly related to point prevalence 12-month tobacco abstinence (odds ratio [OR] = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.11-1.84, p < .01)-a finding consistent with the 6-month follow-up-and it was related to repeated point prevalence tobacco abstinence at both 6 and 12 months (OR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.09-1.88, p < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
These 12-month follow-up results provide additional evidence that partner support can help encourage long-term tobacco abstinence among participants in smokeless tobacco cessation programs.
Danaher
Brian G
BG
Oregon Research Institute, 1715 Franklin Boulevard, Eugene, OR 97403, USA. briand@ori.org
Lichtenstein
Edward
E
Andrews
Judy A
JA
Severson
Herbert H
HH
Akers
Laura
L
Barckley
Maureen
M
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D020340:Tobacco Use Cessation