Predictors of retention in smoking cessation treatment among Latino smokers in the Northeast United States.
BACKGROUND
Only one previous study on minority retention in smoking cessation treatment has been conducted (Nevid JS, Javier RA, Moulton JL III. Factors predicting participant attrition in a community-based, culturally specific smoking cessation program for Hispanic smokers. Health Psychol 1996; 15: 226-29). We investigated predictors of intervention completion and assessment completion among Latino smokers (n = 131) with asthmatic children participating in a home-based asthma education study that included smoking cessation counseling.


METHODS
We examined a variety of pretreatment demographic and psychosocial predictors of intervention completion (completing all three home visits versus <3), assessment completion (attendance/not) and total study participation (completing all six contacts versus <6).


RESULTS
Lower levels of depressed mood (OR = 0.912, 95% CI: 0.857-0.971, P < 0.01) and fewer 'pros' of smoking (OR = 0.882, 95% CI: 0.809-0.961, P < 0.01) predicted intervention completion. Predictors of assessment completion included having more friends who smoke (OR = 2.09, 95% CI: 1.23-3.56, P < 0.01), fewer pros of smoking (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.81-0.95, P < 0.01) and a strong belief that quitting smoking would benefit the child's asthma (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.04-2.74, P < 0.05). Unemployed participants were more likely to complete all six study contacts than those who were working (OR = 0.37, 95% CI: 0.14-0.99, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest the need to tailor retention strategies during active treatment and follow-up assessments to target those who at risk of dropping out.
Center for Alcohol.ddiction Studies, Brown Medical School, 121 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02912, USA. christina_lee@brown.edu
Christina S
CS
Lee
Rashelle B
RB
Hayes
Elizabeth L
EL
McQuaid
Belinda
B
Borrelli
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000517:prevention & control; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D054521:Cultural Competency; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009511:New England; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors