Background: Tobacco spending may exacerbate financial hardship in low-income populations by using funds that could go toward essentials.This study examined post-quit spending plans among low-income smokers and whether financial hardship was positively associated with motivation to quit in the sample.Methods: We analyzed data from the baseline survey of a randomized controlled trial testing novel a smoking cessation intervention for low-income smokers in New York City ( N = 410).Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between financial distress, food insecurity, smoking-induced deprivation (SID) and motivation to quit (measured read more on a 0-10 scale).We performed summative content analyses of open-ended survey questions to identify the most common plans among participants with and without SID for how to use their tobacco money after quitting.
Results: Participants had an average level of motivation to quit of 7.7 ( SD = 2.5).Motivation to quit was not significantly related to having high financial distress or food insecurity ( P >.05), but participants reporting SID had significantly lower levels of motivation to quit than those without SID ( M = 7.
4 versus 7.9, P =.04).Overall, participants expressed an interest in three main types of spending for after they quit: Purchases, Activities , and Savings/Investing , which could be further conceptualized as spending on Oneself or Family , and on Needs or Rewards.The top three spending plans among participants with and without SID were travel, clothing and savings.
There were three needs-based spending plans unique to a small number of participants lightemupsequences.com with SID: housing, health care and education.Conclusions: Financial distress and food insecurity did not enhance overall motivation to quit, while smokers with SID were less motivated to quit.Most low-income smokers, including those with SID, did not plan to use their tobacco money on household essentials after quitting.