Readiness to quit cigarette smoking, intimate partner violence, and substance abuse among arrested violent women

Cigarette smoking is a leading cause of preventable mortality in the United States. Not much data are available regarding the prevalence and correlates of cigarette smoking in female perpetrators of intimate partner violence (IPV). Ninety-eight arrested violent women were recruited from court-referred batterer intervention programs. The prevalence of smoking in the sample was 62%. Smokers reported higher levels of substance abuse, psychopathology, general violence, and IPV perpetration and victimization than nonsmokers. Most smokers (65%) indicated a desire to quit within the next year. The results highlight the importance of screening for cigarette smoking in violence intervention programs and offering assistance to those who choose to quit.