Effect of network social capital on the chances of smoking relapse: a two-year follow-up study of urban-dwelling adults

Abstract

Objectives: We sought to examine the prospective influence of social capital and social network ties on smoking relapse among adults.

Methods: In 2010, a 2-year follow-up study was conducted with the 2008 Montreal Neighborhood Networks and Healthy Aging Study (MoNNET-HA) participants. We asked participants in 2008 and 2010 whether they had smoked in the past 30 days. Position and name generators were used to collect data on social capital and social connections. We used multilevel logistic analysis adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic factors to predict smoking relapse in 2010.

Results: Of the 1400 MoNNET-HA follow-up participants, 1087 were nonsmokers in 2008. Among nonsmokers, 42 were smokers in 2010. Results revealed that participants with higher network social capital were less likely (odds ratio [OR] = 0.68; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.47, 0.96), whereas socially isolated participants (OR = 3.69; 95% CI = 1.36, 10.01) or those who had ties to smokers within the household (OR = 4.22; 95% CI = 1.52, 11.73) were more likely to report smoking in 2010.

Conclusions: Social network capital reduced the chances of smoking relapse. Smoking cessation programs might aim to increase network diversity so as to prevent relapse.