Background: There is a paucity of research that examines the smoking behaviors of single mothers with dependent children in the United States. The objective of this study was to examine the association of smoking and single motherhood in the United States.

Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2006-2007 Tobacco Use Supplement to Current Population Survey (TUS-CPS) were used. Analysis was limited to self-respondent women over 18 years of age (n=96,007). Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to estimate the association of current smoking status and single motherhood after adjusting for socioeconomic indicators, race/ethnicity, and age.

Results: Results indicated significant disparities in smoking behavior across women of different marital/motherhood status. After adjusting for the covariates, single mothers (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.92-2.25) and single women (OR 1.53, 95% CI 1.39-1.68) were at greater risk of being current smokers than the partnered women.

Conclusions: These findings indicate significant disparities in current smoking behavior among women of different marital/motherhood status. Much of the effect of being a single mother remained even after controlling for the covariates. The findings suggest that tobacco control policies and interventions for women should consider differences in smoking behavior related to marital/motherhood status.