Background A smoking cessation programme ‘We Can Quit’ was developed in Ireland tailored to socio-economically disadvantaged (SED) women. The programme includes group-based support delivered by trained lay local women and free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) delivered weekly over 12 weeks. The intervention was pilot tested in a cluster randomised controlled trial, ‘We Can Quit 2’ (WCQ2) in four matched district pairs and found to be feasible with an early indication of effectiveness. This paper aims to provide in-depth analysis into the smoking and health behaviours of participants, and the potential to influence smoking behaviour amongst intervention participants’ social networks.

Methods Socio-demographic and smoking behaviour data were collected using a Pro-forma questionnaire at baseline and changes in behaviour determined at the end of programme (12 weeks) and at 6 months. Aspects of women’s social networks were explored to assess the potential and actual extent of dissemination of programme-related information through their social networks and the perceptions of influence on the smoking behaviour, attitude, or knowledge of close contacts. Social network questions were thus added to the 12-week data for intervention participants. The analysis was descriptive. Changes were determined using mean +- SD or analysis of variance (ANOVA).

Results The mean age of participants (n=125) was 47.9 (±11.8); 54% were single and 38% had one or more children living at home. 42% were educated to primary or lower secondary level. 67% were determined/very determined to quit smoking. Seventy percent of women smoked for longer than 75 years and 56% had their first cigarette within five minutes of waking. Fifty-five percent of women smoked indoors, 52% lived with another smoker and half of these (51%) smoked indoors. Physical and mental health was suboptimal but improved over time. 22/65 intervention participants (33.8%) who completed the social network analysis questionnaire identified 90 people they had spoken to about WCQ and considered to have positively influenced the attitudes and smoking behaviour of 55 (61%) of these. The relatively small sample size is a limitation.

Conclusion Trial participants were heavily addicted and highly motivated to quit smoking. Participation in the WCQ intervention appeared to have a positive ripple effect amongst women’s social networks with a clear potential impact on to reduce indoor household smoking.