Does Social Support Buffer the Effect of Financial Strain on the Trajectory of Smoking in Older Japanese? A 19-Year Longitudinal Study

Abstract

Objectives. Although there is extensive research on the stress-buffering effects of social support on health, there is little understanding of this effect on health behaviors such as smoking, particularly during old age. This study aimed to estimate the effect of financial strain and the stress-buffering effect of social support, on the trajectory of smoking over an extended period of time among older Japanese. Method. Data came from a national sample of more than 4,800 adults, aged 60 and older in Japan, with up to 7 repeated observations between 1987 and 2006 (16,669 observations). Hierarchical linear modeling was used to analyze the intrapersonal and interpersonal differences in smoking. Results. Higher financial strain at baseline was associated with greater amount of smoking, and a slower rate of decline, after adjusting for sociodemographic attributes. Greater instrumental support partially offset the deleterious effect of financial strain on the rate of decline in smoking. Discussion. Our findings add a dynamic dimension to understanding the relationship among financial strain, social support, and smoking in old age. This knowledge is significant when designing health policies and interventions regarding health behaviors in late life.