There's a way out for me: Insights from support intervention for low-income women who smoke.

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Letourneau, N.
  • Boscoe, M.
  • Makwarimba, E.
  • Greaves, L.
  • Stewart, M.
  • Kushner, K. E.
  • Spitzer, D.
  • Daum, C.

• Based on an assessment of low-income women’s support needs and preferences, an intervention was designed consisting of 14 weekly group support sessions encompassing peer and professional facilitators and volunteer buddies. Participants (n=44) completed a 13-item semi-structured qualitative interview following the intervention and an 8-item semi-structured interview three months later. Most women reported that the support group mobilized and reinforced their intentions to quit smoking. Participants enjoyed opportunities to interact with women facing similar challenges and to receive emotional, informational, affirmation and practical support. Women indicated that the program provided useful information about life skills; improved their selfesteem; taught them smoking reduction and cessation strategies; offered an opportunity to share feelings and life experiences; and helped them to relax and enjoy their time together through exercises and crafts. The intervention addressed multiple issues in low-income women’s lives, suggesting that tobacco cessation for vulnerable populations require comprehensive intensive intervention.

• Date created

  2010

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Social support
  • Peer support
  • Women
  • Low income
  • Smoking

• Type of Item

  Article (Published)

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3H588

• License

  © 2010 Department of Sociology, University of Toronto. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.