Smoking Initiation after Marriage and Parenting among Black and White Women

Objectives: To examine the hypothesis that Black-White differences in smoking initiation after transitions into marriage and/or parenting is associated with racial disparities in quitting. Methods: Cox models were used on data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Young Women, a cohort of women surveyed from 1968-2003. Results: Black women (58%) were more likely than white women (40%) to initiate after marriage and/or parenting. Adjustment for these differences did not reduce disparities in quitting (HR 0.53, CI 0.30-0.95). Only after adjustment for sociodemographics were disparities reduced (HR 0.67, HR 0.36-1.22). Conclusions: Other factors associated with smoking initiation among young adult black women (ie, limited economic opportunities, racial discrimination) should be examined for their influence on quitting.