Changes in smoking behaviour among young women over life stage transitions

Objective: To examine changes in smoking behaviour among young women over four life stages: leaving home; employment or attending college or university; marriage; and parenthood. Methods: Young women participating in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health completed postal questionnaires in 1996 and 2000. Results: Unmarried women who moved out of their parents' home between 1996 and 2000 had higher odds of adopting smoking than those who had not lived with their parents at either time (OR 1.8, 95% Cl 1.2-2.6). Married women had lower odds of resuming smoking after quitting (OR 0.4, 95% Cl 0.2-0.7) than unmarried women. Women who were pregnant in 2000 had higher odds of quitting smoking (OR 3.8, 95% Cl 2.5-5.6) and women who were pregnant in 1996 and not in 2000 had higher odds of starting to smoke again (OR 3.2, 95% Cl 1.6-6.2) than women who were not pregnant. The odds of being a current smoker or adopting smoking were significantly greater for women who binge drank alcohol or used cannabis and other illicit drugs. Conclusions: Adoption, maintenance and cessation of smoking among young women is strongly related to major life stage transitions, illicit drug use and alcohol consumption. Implications: Life changes such as marriage and actual or contemplated pregnancy provide opportunities for targeted interventions to help women quit smoking and not relapse after having a baby. Legislation to control smoking on licensed premises would reduce the social pressure on women to smoke.

From partying to parenthood: young women's perceptions of cigarette smoking across life transitions

This study explored influences on adoption, maintenance and cessation of smoking among young women as they experienced life transitions: leaving home, gaining employment or attending college/university, marriage and parenthood. Standardized, open-ended telephone interviews were conducted with 80 women (including never smokers, continuing smokers, recent adopters and quitters) aged 24-29 years, recruited from participants in the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. The social context of smoking (socializing with other smokers, drinking alcohol and going to pubs and clubs) was perceived to be a predominant influence on smoking from the time young women left home until they settled into a committed relationship or started their own family. Stress was identified as an important factor as they experienced lifestyle changes. An increased sensitivity to the negative aspects of smoking after turning 21 was reported, and around the mid-20s the women became concerned about the addictive nature of cigarettes. Motherhood was seen to carry increased responsibilities to protect children from passive smoking and there was a perceived importance of positive role modelling to protect children from becoming smokers themselves. This study highlights the need for public health campaigns to address the social role that smoking plays in young women's lives, and the perceived use of cigarettes for stress relief. Life changes such as settling down with a partner and the contemplation of motherhood provide opportunities for targeted interventions to promote quitting.