The relationship between social support and smoking among low-income pregnant women in North Louisiana /

The purpose of this study was to assess the tobacco knowledge and practices of pregnant women in the public health system in North Louisiana and determine the relationship of social support and smoking (specifically, to determine if other aspects of social support other than having smokers in their...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Arnold, Connie Lea
Format: Thesis Book
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] ; 1997.
Subjects:
Online Access:http://proxy.library.tamu.edu/login?url=http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=736796141&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=2945&RQT=309&VName=PQD
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Summary:The purpose of this study was to assess the tobacco knowledge and practices of pregnant women in the public health system in North Louisiana and determine the relationship of social support and smoking (specifically, to determine if other aspects of social support other than having smokers in their social network predicts smoking). A sample of 599 pregnant women were personally interviewed in the Obstetrics Clinics at Louisiana State University Shreveport Medical Center Shreveport and E. A. Conway Hospital in Monroe, Louisiana. All participants were given a literacy test and then a structured interview. The Cochran Mantel-Haenzel test, a chi-square test for trend that allows controlling for other factors, was used to estimate the relationship between literacy level and knowledge. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine which variables predicted smoking status and amounts of smoking. Race was a significant determinant of smoking status with more white women reporting currently smoking than African Americans (35% vs. 8%). Knowledge about the effects of smoking varied significantly by literacy level with low level readers having less knowledge however, smoking did not vary by literacy level. A significant predictor of smoking was having an intimate network that had a high proportion of smokers in it, while neither satisfaction with social support nor expressive support predicted smoking status. Smoking was more prevalent among white pregnant women in obstetric public health clinics in North Louisiana. A key factor in predicting smoking during pregnancy among both white and Aftican American women was having a high proportion of smokers in the social
Item Description:Vita.
"Major Subject: Sociology".
Physical Description:ix, 86 leaves ; 28 cm.
Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references: pages 65-78.