Reducing tobacco and nicotine use among women in treatment for substance use disorder: evaluation of the knit to quit program

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Tobacco and nicotine use are prevalent in residential substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs that serve pregnant and parenting women. This study evaluated a group intervention that integrates knitting instruction, psychoeducation, and social support to improve readiness to quit and reduce tobacco and nicotine use among this population.

Methods

Clients and staff in four residential SUD treatment programs were assigned to a six-week group intervention or a wait-list control group. Intervention implementation and preliminary effectiveness were assessed using surveys, interviews, and observational measures.

Results

From pre- to post-test, knowledge related to tobacco and nicotine use increased and number of cigarettes smoked per day and nicotine dependence decreased, on average. Additionally, the intervention group reported lower levels of nicotine dependence relative to the control group. Participants described knitting as an enjoyable replacement for smoking and a strategy to regulate stress and emotions.

Conclusions

Smoking cessation interventions that include knitting are promising and warrant further testing.

KEYWORDS:

• Arts-based intervention
• smoking
• polysubstance use
• women

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Melissa Lavoie for her contributions to program development, early pilot testing, and refinement.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Lerner Center for Public Health Promotion Community Scholars Grant Program, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.