Partner influences on smoking cessation: A longitudinal study of couple relationships

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Despite declines in population tobacco use, smoking remains unacceptably high. Smoking cessation may be particularly difficult in couple relationships when partners continue to smoke, and when relationship satisfaction is low. This study examined the longitudinal influence of partner tobacco use and relationship satisfaction on the likelihood of smoking cessation. Methods: Data were obtained from 238 tobacco-using couples aged between 18 and 45 over three assessments from a nationally representative sample of Australian households. Results: There was high concordance between partner smoking six years after the initial assessment, with a little more than three-quarters (76.1%) of non-smokers residing with partners who had also ceased smoking. Step-wise logistic regression models indicated that females were more likely to cease smoking if their partners had previously quit. Males were more likely to quit smoking when they perceived their relationship as highly satisfying and their partner had stopped smoking. Female partners were also more likely to quit smoking when they were highly satisfied with their relationships. Conclusions: Both partner’s smoking status and relationship satisfaction are important considerations in smoking-related cessation. For entrenched smokers in couple relationships, involvement of partners in interventions may be useful.

KEYWORDS:

• Couple relationship satisfaction
• partner influence
• smoking cessation

Notes

1. This has been identified as an important developmental period when tobacco use is high, and also a time when smokers attempt to quit (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: HHS, 2014).

2. The choice of responses to the question “Do you smoke cigarettes or other tobacco products?” were 1 – ‘No, I have never smoked’; 2 – ‘No, I no longer smoke’; 3 – ‘Yes, I smoke daily’; 4 – ‘Yes, I smoke at least weekly (but not daily)’; and 5 - ‘Yes, I smoke less often than weekly’.