Spousal influence on smoking behaviors in a US community sample of newly married couples

Abstract

Among married couples, partners often have similar characteristics and behaviors. Among individuals who smoke cigarettes, it is not uncommon for them to have a partner who also smokes. In fact, having a partner who smokes can influence the spouse's initiation of smoking, or return to smoking after a previous quit attempt. Additionally, it is possible that a nonsmoking partner can influence his/her spouse to stop smoking. Participants for this research are from a community sample of couples in the United States. They were recruited at the time they applied for their marriage license and followed through to their second wedding anniversary. Logistic regression models, controlling for demographics, were utilized to determine if a partner's smoking status predicted smoking initiation or relapse over the early years of marriage. Overall, there was some support that a partner's smoking status did influence the other's smoking, although more support was found for spousal influence on relapse than cessation. There was more support for husband's influence compared to wife's influence, nonsmoking wives were more likely to resume smoking in the early years of their marriage if their partners were smokers. Wive's smoking, however, did not predict husband initiation of smoking. These findings suggest that during the transition into marriage, spouses do influence their partners' behaviors. In particular, women are more likely to resume smoking, or return to smoking if their partners smoke.

A Daily Diary Study of Joint Quit Attempts by Dual-Smoker Couples: The Role of Received and Provided Social Support

“…As hypothesized, we found evidence that on days with higher emotional and instrumental support receipt and provision, women and men cut down on their own daily number of cigarettes smoked (actor effects for women and men). Because smokers with a partner who also smokes have lower quit success 6 , it is remarkable that this study replicates from a prior study of smoker-nonsmoker couples showing the central role of social support after a quit attempt. Results of this study confirmed that it is equally beneficial for female and male smokers to receive emotional and instrumental support from their partners.…”

“…4,5 Among individuals who smoke, it is not uncommon for them to have a partner who also smokes. 4,6 Individuals tend to exhibit health behaviors similar to their spouses. 4,7 Furthermore, spouses or romantic partners have considerable influence on health behavior change 8 , including smoking cessation.…”

“…4,7 Furthermore, spouses or romantic partners have considerable influence on health behavior change 8 , including smoking cessation. 6 On the one hand, a romantic partner who also smokes can be a risk factor for continued smoking. 6,9 On the other hand, the successful quitting of one partner seems to increase the likelihood of quitting in the other partner.…”

“…6 On the one hand, a romantic partner who also smokes can be a risk factor for continued smoking. 6,9 On the other hand, the successful quitting of one partner seems to increase the likelihood of quitting in the other partner. 4 So far, the existing studies did not examine potential explaining mechanisms for why quitting smoking together might be more successful.…”

Sociodemographic Characteristics and Smoking Status of Marriage Applicants in Izmit, Turkey

“…11 In the US, Homish et al found the prevalence of smoking to be 32% in males and 28% in females. 12 In our study, probably, first research done in female and male marriage applicants in Turkey.…”