Purpose: To describe the factors associated with interest of homeless former smokers in helping homeless smokers quit.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey administered to an optimized convenience sample of homeless persons (n = 4570) at emergency shelters, transitional housing units, and open encampments in 80 cities across Minnesota. The in-person survey response rate was 90%.
Analysis: Chi-square tests and t-tests for univariate analysis.
Results: Of 4534 participants completing the smoking questions, 546 participants (12%) self-identified as former smokers, of which 59% expressed interest in helping homeless smokers quit. Significant predictors of reported interest in helping included racial/ethnic background (p < .05), number of people known who had quit smoking (p < .01), and receiving social services as an adult (p < .01).
Conclusion: Homeless former smokers are a potential resource for peer support programs to promote smoking cessation among homeless current smokers.