Maternal smoking among blacks and whites

Data from a random sample of mothers and children participating in a study on the sequelae of low birth weight were used to examine potential risk factors of maternal smoking. It was hypothesized that maternal smoking will vary by race, age, education, psychiatric status, employment status, single mother status and indicators of the burden of child care. Low education, young age, current psychiatric disorder and having a child with a psychiatric disorder or a physical illness predicted maternal smoking. The association of maternal smoking with other factors, specifically maternal employment and indicators of the burden of child care, varied between blacks and whites. Single mother status and having pre-school children in the home was associated with a higher odds ratio for smoking in whites, but not in blacks. On the other hand, maternal employment was associated with a lower odds ratio for smoking in blacks only. This study identified common and race-specific predictors of smoking in white and black mothers. It emphasizes the need for a greater understanding of the social context of maternal smoking in different ethnic populations, and highlights the importance of the burden of child care as a factor in maternal smoking.