Abstract
Background/Aims: African-Americans are disproportionately affected by the health consequences of smoking. Cigarette smoking is one of the main contributors to lung cancer, which is the second most common cancer among this group. Social support is a key component of effective non-pharmacological cessation programs. The objective of this analysis was to examine the association of social support and smoking cessation at 6 months among African-Americans enrolled in a randomized trial.
Methods: In 2006, 204 African-American members from two large managed care organizations enrolled in Phase I of a Web-based smoking cessation intervention, Project Quit. In addition to the Web-based intervention, participants received a free course of nicotine replacement therapy (patch). All participants received layers of tailored messages to encourage cessation. Each participant was asked at baseline if they had someone who would be supportive while he/she quit smoking. The number of supporters was categorized in three groups:
0–1 supporters;
2–4 supporters; and
5 or more supportive persons.
The primary outcome of the study was 7-day abstinence at 6-month follow-up, regardless of use of other cessation products and services. Logistic regression modeling was used to test the association between smoking cessation with the number of social supports and tailoring intensity.
Results: Among the 202 African-Americans, 65 (32.2%), 98 (48.5%) and 39 (19.3%) reported 0–1, 2–4, and 5 or more supportive persons for smoking cessation, respectively. For the 46 people who quit, we observed a trend toward significance for social support and quitting (P=0.07). The odds ratio for quitting for group 2 versus 1 was 0.86 (95% CI, 0.38–1.94; P=0.71), and for group 3 versus 1 was 2.35 (95% CI, 0.91–6.05; P=0.08). Adding tailoring intensity did not contribute to cessation (P=0.70).
Conclusions: A larger support network specific to smoking cessation is advantageous beyond personally relevant computer tailoring for this African-American population. Our findings suggest that people with higher social support are more likely to quit regardless of the tailoring intensity. Further research should explore the synergistic relationship of computer-based interventions and personal support networks in smoking cessation among African-Americans.
- Received September 11, 2008.
