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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental Data All Versions of this Article: AJPH.2006.103580v1 97/12/2281    most recent Submit a response Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Siahpush, M. Articles by Singh, G. K Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Siahpush, M. Articles by Singh, G. K Related Collections Socioeconomic Factors Smoking Cessation Tobacco Control

Mohammad Siahpush, PhD, Mbiostat, Matt Spittal, PhD and Gopal K Singh, PhD, MSc, MS

At the time of this study, Mohammad Siahpush and Matt Spittal were with the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Victoria, Australia. Gopal K. Singh is with the Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Service Administration, Rockville, Md.

Correspondence: Requests for reprints should be sent to Mohammad Siahpush, Department of Health Promotion, Social and Behavioral Health Sciences, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 986075 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198-6075 (email: msiahpush{at}unmc.edu).

Objectives. We used 4 waves of prospective data to examine the association of smoking cessation with financial stress and material well-being.

Methods. Data (n = 5699 at baseline) came from 4 consecutive waves (2001–2005) of the Household Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey. We used mixed models to examine the participant-specific association of smoking cessation with financial stress and material well-being.

Results. On average, a smoker who quits is expected to have a 25% reduction (P<.001; odds ratio [OR]=0.75; 95% confidence interaval [CI]=0.69, 0.81) in the odds of financial stress. Similarly, the data provided strong evidence (P<.001) that a smoker who quits is likely to experience an enhanced level of material well-being.

Conclusions. Our findings indicate that interventions to encourage smoking cessation are likely to improve standards of living and reduce deprivation. The findings provide grounds for encouraging the social services sector to incorporate smoking cessation efforts into their programs to enhance the material or financial conditions of disadvantaged groups. The findings also provide additional incentives for smokers to stop smoking and as such can be used in antismoking campaigns and by smoking cessation services.