The burden of smoking is borne most by those who are socially disadvantaged and the social gradient in smoking contributes substantially to the health gap between the rich and poor. A number of factors contribute to higher tobacco use among socially disadvantaged populations including social (e.g., low social support for quitting), psychological (e.g., low self-efficacy) and physical factors (e.g., greater nicotine dependence). Current evidence for the effectiveness of peer or partner support interventions in enhancing the success of quit attempts in the general population is equivocal, largely due to study design and lack of a theoretical framework in this research. We conducted a systematic review of peer support interventions for smoking cessation in disadvantaged groups. The eight studies which met the inclusion criteria showed that interventions that improve social support for smoking cessation may be of greater importance to disadvantaged groups who experience fewer opportunities to access such support informally. Peer-support programs are emerging as highly effective and empowering ways for people to manage health issues in a socially supportive context. We discuss the potential for peer-support programs to address the high prevalence of smoking in vulnerable populations and also to build capacity in their communities.
References
[1]
Stockings, E.; Bowman, J.; McElwaine, K.; Baker, A.; Terry, M.; Clancy, R.; Bartlem, K.; Wye, P.; Bridge, P.; Knight, J.; et al. Readiness to quit smoking and quit attempts among Australian mental health inpatients. Nicotine Tob. Res. 2013, 15, 942–949, doi:10.1093/ntr/nts206.
[2]
Thomas, D. National trends in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smoking and quitting, 1994–2008. Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health 2012, 36, 24–29, doi:10.1111/j.1753-6405.2011.00817.x.
[3]
Tsai, J.; Rosenheck, R.A. Smoking among chronically homeless adults: Prevalence and correlates. Psychiatr. Serv. 2012, 63, 569–576, doi:10.1176/appi.ps.201100398.
[4]
Apollonio, D.E.; Malone, R.E. Marketing to the marginalised: Tobacco industry targeting of the homeless and mentally ill. Tob. Control 2005, 14, 409–415, doi:10.1136/tc.2005.011890.
[5]
DiGiacomo, M.; Davidson, P.M.; Abbott, P.A.; Davison, J.; Moore, L.; Thompson, S.C. Smoking cessation in indigenous populations of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States: Elements of effective interventions. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2011, 8, 388–410, doi:10.3390/ijerph8020388.
[6]
Christakis, N.A.; Fowler, J.H. The spread of obesity in a large social network over 32 years. N. Engl. J. Med. 2007, 357, 370–379, doi:10.1056/NEJMsa066082.
[7]
Hammond, R.A. Social influence and obesity. Curr. Opin. Endocrinol. Diabetes Obes. 2010, 17, 467–471, doi:10.1097/MED.0b013e32833d4687.
[8]
Christakis, N.A.; Fowler, J.H. The collective dynamics of smoking in a large social network. N. Engl. J. Med. 2008, 358, 2249–2258, doi:10.1056/NEJMsa0706154.
[9]
Johnston, V.; Thomas, D. Smoking behaviours in a remote Australian Indigenous community: The influence of family and other factors. Soc. Sci. Med. 2008, 67, 1708–1716, doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.016.
[10]
Bond, C.; Brough, M.; Spurling, G.; Hayman, N. ‘It had to be my choice’ Indigenous smoking cessation and negotiations of risk, resistance and resilience. Health Risk Soc. 2012, 14, 565–581, doi:10.1080/13698575.2012.701274.
[11]
Clay, S.; Schell, B.; Corrigan, P.W.; Ralph, R.O. On Our Own, Together: Peer Programs for People with Mental Illness; Vanderbilt University Press: Nashville, TN, USA, 2005; pp. 141–178.
[12]
Solomon, P. Peer support/peer provided services underlying process, benefits, and critical ingredients. Psychiatr. Rehabil. J. 2004, 27, 392–401, doi:10.2975/27.2004.392.401.
[13]
Davidson, L.; Chinman, M.; Kloos, B.; Weingarten, R.; Stayner, D.; Tebes, J.K. Peer support among individuals with severe mental illness: A review of the evidence. Clin. Psychol. 1999, 6, 165–187.
[14]
Heisler, M. Overview of peer support models to improve diabetes self-management and clinical outcomes. Diabetes Spectr. 2007, 20, 214–221, doi:10.2337/diaspect.20.4.214.
[15]
Dale, J.R.; Williams, S.M.; Bowyer, V. What is the effect of peer support on diabetes outcomes in adults? A systematic review. Diabet Med. 2012, 29, 1361–1377, doi:10.1111/j.1464-5491.2012.03749.x.
[16]
Boisvert, R.A.; Martin, L.M.; Grosek, M.; Clarie, A.J. Effectiveness of a peer-support community in addiction recovery: Participation as intervention. Occup. Ther. Int. 2008, 15, 205–220, doi:10.1002/oti.257.
[17]
Webel, A.R.; Okonsky, J.; Trompeta, J.; Holzemer, W.L. A systematic review of the effectiveness of peer-based interventions on health-related behaviors in adults. Am. J. Public Health 2010, 100, 247–253, doi:10.2105/AJPH.2008.149419.
[18]
Paasse, G.; Adams, K. Working together as a catalyst for change: The development of a peer mentoring model for the prevention of chronic disease in Australian Indigenous communities. Aust. J. Primary Health 2011, 17, 214–219, doi:10.1071/PY10016.
[19]
Salzer, M.S.; Shoshanna, S.L. Identifying consumer-provider benefits in evaluations of consumer-delivered services. Psychiatr. Rehabil. J. 2002, 25, 281–288, doi:10.1037/h0095014.
[20]
Ranney, L.; Melvin, C.; Lux, L.; McClain, E.; Lohr, K.N. Systematic review: Smoking cessation intervention strategies for adults and adults in special populations. Ann. Intern. Med. 2006, 145, 845–856, doi:10.7326/0003-4819-145-11-200612050-00142.
[21]
May, S.; West, R. Do social support interventions (“buddy systems”) aid smoking cessation? A review. Tob. Control 2000, 9, 415–422, doi:10.1136/tc.9.4.415.
[22]
Westmaas, J.L.; Bontemps-Jones, J.; Bauer, J.E. Social support in smoking cessation: Reconciling theory and evidence. Nicotine Tob. Res. 2010, 12, 695–707, doi:10.1093/ntr/ntq077.
[23]
Park, E.W.; Tudiver, F.; Schultz, J.K.; Campbell, T. Does enhancing partner support and interaction improve smoking cessation? A meta-analysis. Ann. Family Med. 2004, 2, 170–174, doi:10.1370/afm.64.
[24]
McKay, C.E.; Dickerson, F. Peer supports for tobacco cessation for adults with serious mental illness: A review of the literature. J. Dual. Diagn. 2012, 8, 104–112, doi:10.1080/15504263.2012.670847.
[25]
Flaskerud, J.H.; Lesser, J.; Dixon, E.; Anderson, N.; Conde, F.; Kim, S.; Koniak-Griffin, D.; Strehlow, A.; Tullmann, D.; Verzemnieks, I. Health disparities among vulnerable populations: Evolution of knowledge over five decades in Nursing Research publications. Nurs. Res. 2002, 51, 74–85, doi:10.1097/00006199-200203000-00003.
[26]
Najman, J.M.; Lanyon, A.; Andersen, M.; Williams, G.; Bor, W.; O’Callaghan, M. Socioeconomic status and maternal cigarette smoking before, during and after a pregnancy. Aust. N. Z. J. Public Health 1998, 22, 60–66, doi:10.1111/j.1467-842X.1998.tb01146.x.
[27]
Moher, D.; Liberati, A.; Tetzlaff, J.; Altman, D.G. Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: The PRISMA statement. PLoS Med. 2009, 6, doi:10.1371/journal.pmed.1000097.
[28]
Jackson, N. Handbook: Systematic Reviews of Health Promotion and Public Health Interventions; Cochrane Health Promotion and Public Health Field and the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation: Melbourne, Australia, 2007.
[29]
Albrecht, S.A.; Caruthers, D.; Patrick, T.; Reynolds, M.; Salamie, D.; Higgins, L.W.; Braxter, B.; Kim, Y.; Mlynarchek, S. A randomized controlled trial of a smoking cessation intervention for pregnant adolescents. Nurs. Res. 2006, 55, 402–410, doi:10.1097/00006199-200611000-00004.
[30]
Hennrikus, D.; Pirie, P.; Hellerstedt, W.; Lando, H.A.; Steele, J.; Dunn, C. Increasing support for smoking cessation during pregnancy and postpartum: Results of a randomized controlled pilot study. Prev. Med. 2010, 50, 134–137, doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.01.003.
[31]
McBride, C.M.; Baucom, D.H.; Peterson, B.L.; Pollak, K.I.; Palmer, C.; Westman, E.; Lyna, P. Prenatal and postpartum smoking abstinence—A partner-assisted approach. Am. J. Prev. Med. 2004, 27, 232–238.
[32]
Solomon, L.J.; Secker-Walker, R.H.; Flynn, B.S.; Skelly, J.M.; Capeless, E.L. Proactive telephone peer support to help pregnant women stop smoking. Tob. Control 2000, 9 (Suppl. 3), III72–III74.
[33]
Solomon, L.J.; Scharoun, G.M.; Flynn, B.S.; Secker-Walker, R.H.; Sepinwall, D. Free nicotine patches plus proactive telephone peer support to help low-income women stop smoking. Prev. Med. 2000, 31, 68–74, doi:10.1006/pmed.2000.0683.
[34]
Solomon, L.J.; Marcy, T.W.; Howe, K.D.; Skelly, J.M.; Reinier, K.; Flynn, B.S. Does extended proactive telephone support increase smoking cessation among low-income women using nicotine patches? Prev. Med. 2005, 40, 306–313, doi:10.1016/j.ypmed.2004.06.005.
[35]
West, R.; Edwards, M.; Hajek, P. A randomized controlled trial of a “buddy” system to improve success at giving up smoking in general practice. Addiction 1998, 93, 1007–1011.
[36]
Williams, J.M.; Dwyer, M.; Verna, M.; Zimmermann, M.H.; Gandhi, K.K.; Galazyn, M.; Szkodny, N.; Molnar, M.; Kley, R.; Steinberg, M.L. Evaluation of the CHOICES program of peer-to-peer tobacco education and advocacy. Community Ment. Health J. 2011, 47, 243–251, doi:10.1007/s10597-010-9310-8.
[37]
Su, A.; Buttenheim, A.M. Maintenance of smoking cessation in the postpartum period: Which interventions work best in the long-term? Matern. Child Health J. 2013, doi:10.1007/s10995-013-1298-6.
[38]
Mermelstein, R.; Lichtenstein, E.; McIntyre, K. Partner support and relapse in smoking-cessation programs. J. Consult. Clin. Psychol. 1983, 51, 465–466, doi:10.1037/0022-006X.51.3.465.
[39]
Drummond, M.F. Methods for the Economic Evaluation of Health Care Programmes, 3rd ed. ed.; Oxford University Press: Oxford, UK, 2005; pp. 6–7.
[40]
Warburton, J.; Chambers, B. Older Indigenous Australians: Their integral role in culture and community. Aust. J. Ageing 2007, 26, 3–7, doi:10.1111/j.1741-6612.2007.00213.x.
[41]
Adams, K.; Paasse, G.; Clinch, D. Peer-support preferences and readiness-to-change behaviour for chronic disease prevention in an urban indigenous population. Aust. Soc. Work 2011, 64, 55–67, doi:10.1080/0312407X.2010.541269.
