Exploring Smoking Prevalence, Quit Attempts, and Readiness to Quit Cigarette Use Among Women in Substance Abuse Treatment

Abstract

Client questionnaires from 38 gender-specific substance abuse facilities throughout Ohio were analyzed to explore smoking prevalence, quit attempts, and readiness to quit cigarette use. The analysis revealed 79.7% of women used cigarettes at the time of the survey, 33.5% of current smokers had made at least one quit attempt within the past 12 months, and 55.2% of current smokers reported either contemplating or preparing to make a quit attempt. A multinomial logistic regression revealed that clients who experienced a past quit attempt were more likely to be in the contemplation and preparation stages and clients who smoked 30 out of the past 30 days were least likely to be in the preparation stage. Clients who reported smoking between 10–15 cigarettes a day were more likely to be in the contemplation stage than those who reported smoking <10 cigarettes a day. A three-pronged approach that examines the physiological, emotional, and social components of addiction is recommended.

KEYWORDS:

• tobacco dependence
• tobacco cessation
• gender-specific treatment
• substance abuse treatment
• stages of change

Amethyst, Inc. was a grantee of the Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation (OTPF), which funded this research. Barbra Teater was employed by Amethyst, Inc. from 2005–2006, particularly to carry out work in relation to the OTPF grant.