Smoking Cessation Help Research Articles

Cognitive Distortions as Barriers to Seeking Smoking Cessation Treatment: A Comparative Study.

Background/Objectives: Despite the availability of effective pharmacotherapy and evidence-based treatments, a substantial proportion of smokers do not seek treatment. This study aims to explore the cognitive distortions associated with not seeking evidence-based smoking cessation treatment and to identify cognitive barriers. Methods: The research conducted in Istanbul between October and December 2017 employs a cross-sectional design and includes two groups: a treatment-seeking group comprising 156 patients diagnosed with tobacco use disorder and a non-treatment seeking group of 78 patients with tobacco use disorder who had never sought professional help for smoking cessation. A comprehensive data collection process was used, including sociodemographic information, cognitive distortion assessment using the cognitive distortions scale, a smoking-related cognitive distortions interview and the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Results: While no significant sociodemographic differences were observed between the treatment-seeking and non-treatment-seeking groups, the study found that higher nicotine dependence was associated with a higher likelihood of seeking treatment. The treatment-seeking group displayed significantly higher levels of "all-or-nothing thinking" cognitive distortions related to smoking and smoking cessation. Conversely, the non-treatment-seeking group exhibited elevated levels of cognitive distortions such as "labeling", "mental filtering", "should statements" and "minimizing the positive" regarding receiving smoking cessation treatment. Conclusions: Understanding the cognitive distortions associated with treatment-seeking behavior for tobacco use disorder is crucial for developing targeted public-based interventions, public service announcements for tobacco use prevention and encouraging individuals to seek evidence-based treatment. Addressing these cognitive distortions can also potentially enhance the effectiveness of smoking cessation programs and reduce the global burden of tobacco-related diseases and mortality.

Social Network Analysis of e-Cigarette-Related Social Media Influencers on Twitter/X: Observational Study.

An e-cigarette uses a battery to heat a liquid that generates an aerosol for consumers to inhale. e-Cigarette use (vaping) has been associated with respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive functions. Recently, vaping has become increasingly popular, especially among youth and young adults. The aim of this study was to understand the social networks of Twitter (now rebranded as X) influencers related to e-cigarettes through social network analysis. Through the Twitter streaming application programming interface, we identified 3,617,766 unique Twitter accounts posting e-cigarette-related tweets from May 3, 2021, to June 10, 2022. Among these, we identified 33 e-cigarette influencers. The followers of these influencers were grouped according to whether or not they post about e-cigarettes themselves; specifically, the former group was defined as having posted at least five e-cigarette-related tweets in the past year, whereas the latter group was defined as followers that had not posted any e-cigarette-related tweets in the past 3 years. We randomly sampled 100 user accounts among each group of e-cigarette influencer followers and created corresponding social networks for each e-cigarette influencer. We compared various network measures (eg, clustering coefficient) between the networks of the two follower groups. Major topics from e-cigarette-related tweets posted by the 33 e-cigarette influencers included advocating against vaping policy (48.0%), vaping as a method to quit smoking (28.0%), and vaping product promotion (24.0%). The follower networks of these 33 influencers showed more connections for those who also post about e-cigarettes than for followers who do not post about e-cigarettes, with significantly higher clustering coefficients for the former group (0.398 vs 0.098; P=.005). Further, networks of followers who post about e-cigarettes exhibited substantially more incoming and outgoing connections than those of followers who do not post about e-cigarettes, with significantly higher in-degree (0.273 vs 0.084; P=.02), closeness (0.452 vs 0.137; P=.04), betweenness (0.036 vs 0.008; P=.001), and out-of-degree (0.097 vs 0.014; P=.02) centrality values. The followers who post about e-cigarettes also had a significantly (P<.001) higher number of followers (n=322) than that of followers who do not post about e-cigarettes (n=201). The number of tweets in the networks of followers who post about e-cigarettes was significantly higher than that in the networks of followers who do not post about e-cigarettes (93 vs 43; P<.001). Two major topics discussed in the networks of followers who post about e-cigarettes included promoting e-cigarette products or vaping activity (55.7%) and vaping being a help for smoking cessation and harm reduction (44.3%). Followers of e-cigarette influencers who also post about e-cigarettes have more closely connected networks than those of followers who do not themselves post about e-cigarettes. These findings provide a potentially practical intervention approach for future antivaping campaigns.

Quitline nurses' experiences in providing telephone-based smoking cessation help to mental health patients: A mixed methods study.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: Quitlines are known to be effective in helping people quit smoking, including those with mental health conditions. It is particularly important to address smoking in this population as the prevalence of smoking ranges from 40% to 75%. However, professionals working in quitlines often face barriers due to their limited training and resources to effectively support these smokers quit, especially if they are not mental health professionals. Therefore, training programmes should be developed to enhance their knowledge and skills in providing smoking cessation support to this vulnerable population. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: The '061 QUIT-MENTAL study' evaluated the efficacy of a proactive telephone-based intervention for smoking cessation among smokers with severe mental health disorders. Conducted through a quitline service in Catalonia, Spain, the study focused on training non-mental health specialized nurses and other health professionals to provide evidence-based interventions for promoting smoking cessation among individuals with mental health disorders. The objective of this study is to assess the changes in nurses' knowledge and readiness to treat smokers with mental health conditions, while also capturing their insights and perceptions regarding the facilitators and barriers to providing smoking cessation interventions. The training and insights of the nurses were integral to conducting this research and providing valuable information for the future sustainability of such interventions. This is particularly important as quitlines hold the potential to offer cessation support to these patients at the community level. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: While the training programme was successful in improving non-mental health specialized nurses' knowledge and motivation skills to help patients with mental health disorders quit smoking, they encountered obstacles in delivering this intervention over the phone. These difficulties were mainly due to challenges in reaching participants and delivering the intervention as detailed in the protocol. The study highlights the need of reducing barriers for providers in attending to these patients, particularly if they are non-mental health specialized professionals. By minimizing the stigmatization associated with caring for mentally ill individuals and promoting coordination with specialists, innovative approaches may be introduced to alleviate the burden of tobacco-related diseases among this population. ABSTRACT: Introduction The viewpoint of those who implement a programme for the first time is crucial for understanding its impact and ensuring its long-term viability. The 061 QUIT-MENTAL study was a pragmatic randomized controlled trial evaluating a proactive telephone-based intervention addressed to mental health patients conducted by non-psychiatric specialized nurses. Aim We assessed nurses' knowledge of smoking cessation interventions addressed to this population before and after receiving training and their insights after delivering the intervention. Method Mixed methods study: (1) Pre-post evaluation to assess self-reported knowledge, self-efficacy and opinions about smoking cessation. (2) In-depth interviews with key nurses to ascertain their perceptions regarding the impact of the training received in delivering the study intervention. Results The training enhanced nurses' knowledge of psychological and pharmacological resources to aid these patients, as well as their ability to increasetheir motivation to quit. However, nurses reported difficulties in delivering population-based interventions to individuals with mental health disorders. These challenges primarily arose from participants being hard to reach, exhibiting low motivation to quit, struggling to comprehend instructions or follow recommendations, and nurses feeling unsure about their capacity to assist individuals with mental illnesses in quitting, despite the training they received. Discussion Despite the training and protocol designed to facilitate the delivery of the intervention, nurses faced difficulties in providing population-based interventions to individuals with mental health disorders. Implications for Practice Future quitline programmes aimed at the population with mental health disorders should strive to reduce barriers for providers in attending to these patients, particularly if they are non-mental health specialized professionals. By minimizing the stigmatization associated with caring for mentally ill individuals and promoting coordination with specialists, innovative approaches may be introduced to alleviate the burden of tobacco-related diseases among this population.

Study on the participation of nursing staff in tobacco cessation support and related influencing factors: A survey from Chongqing, China.

Nursing staff's assistance for smokers to quit smoking can increase the rate of quitting. The smoking cessation help can be affected by many factors. This study surveyed the use of the 5As (Asking, Advising, Assessing, Assisting, Arranging) approach to support smoking cessation by the nursing staff in Chongqing, China, and analyzed the corresponding influencing factors. A stratified random cluster sampling method was used to select nursing staff from 8 tertiary hospitals, 5 secondary hospitals, 12 community health centers, and 35 township health centers in different geographical regions of Chongqing. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the nursing staff to investigate their participation in smoking cessation. Binary logistic regression analysis was employed to analyze the influencing factors of smoking cessation 5As behavior of the nursing staff. The 1669 participants were 44 males (2.6%) and 1625 females (97.4%), with an average age of 37.00 ± 10.89 years. Among the participants, 55.2% were from tertiary hospitals, 23.2% from secondary hospitals, 14.2% from township health centers, and 7.4 from community health centers. The often or always used behaviors were: Asking, 69.2%; Advising, 53.0%; Assessing, 39.5%; Assisting, 33.7%; and Arranging, 25.1%. The factors that affected all the 5As were: smoking cessation training (AOR=1.60; 95% CI: 1.22-2.11), knowledge of smoking cessation guidelines (AOR=1.75; 95% CI: 1.32-2.32) and the use of smoking cessation Apps (AOR=1.50; 95% CI: 1.09-2.06), and smokers' willingness to quit (AOR=2.20; 95% CI: 1.60-3.02). Smoker's motivation to quit smoking and nurses' knowledge of tobacco cessation resources affected nurses' participation in smoking control behavior. While encouraging smokers to quit smoking, clinical nursing staff should be provided with related resources to advocate smoking cessation. Guided by the Chinese Clinical Tobacco Cessation Guidelines, smoking control knowledge and skills training should be provided for nursing staff to increase their positive attitude towards smoking control, so as to promote their active participation.

Covid-19 Pandemic: Help-seeking for Smoking Cessation among Adult Smokers in Malaysia during the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO)

INTRODUCTION: In Malaysia, the annual death due to smoking habits recorded as more than 23 thousand yearly. Hence smoking cessation should be emphasized to reduce the annual mortality and morbidity. The purpose of this study is to identify the help-seeking behavior in smoking cessation among adult smokers and to determine its influencing factors during the Full Movement Control Order (FMCO) in Malaysia. MATERIALS AND METHOD: Data were collected from cross-sectional surveys of Malaysian adult smokers. The questionnaire was distributed online through the official social media account of the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOHM) which commenced from 31st May 2021 in conjunction with the World No Tobacco Day. A multivariate binomial logistic regression was employed to analyze the relationship model between the predictors with the help-seeking for smoking cessation. RESULT: Out of 2,545 Malaysian adult smokers who have responded, 2,303 were males (90.5% of respondents) with mean age(sd) of 34.82(8.11) years (18 to 77 years). Slightly half (n=1353, 53%) have reported seeking help for smoking cessation and (n=1468, 57.7%) reported being unaware of the quitline services. Factors, such as quit smoking attempt (OR; 1.844, 95% CI = 1.384-2.458), Covid-19 pandemic situation (OR; 1.841, 95% CI= 1.553-2.183), being married (OR: 1.279, 95% CI = 1.04-1.57), unaware about quitline services (OR; 0.660, 95% CI = 0.557-0.781), non-alcohol drinkers (OR; 0.658, 95% CI = 0.473-0.916) significantly predicted the behaviour of help-seeking for smoking cessation. CONCLUSION: The results of this study would potentially support public health efforts in Malaysia in further enhancing health promotion and education programs as well as further strengthen the policy towards quit smoking issues.

A Comprehensive Tobacco Control Policy Program in a Mining Industry in Indonesia: Did It Work?

BackgroundRisk factor controls, including smoking cessation and prevention, impact health costs. This study aimed to describe the Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC), one of Indonesia's largest coal mining operations, comprehensive tobacco control policy program in 2015 and its impact on smoking behavior among the employees.MethodA survey among 404 employees was conducted to assess the impact of the smoke-free KPC programs. In addition to the descriptive analysis, logistic regression was used to measure the association of intention to the smoking behavior change and the association between intention and the determinants using the Theory of Planned Behavior in 102 smokers.ResultsA series of tobacco control programs: advocacy, health education, brief interventions for smoking cessation, peer counselor training, media campaigns, and policy regulations were implemented. About 95.5% of the respondents attended the KPC Smoke-Free 2015 programs, and 97.8% reported they already knew that KPC is a total smoke-free area. Nearly 50% of the respondents expressed that the staff complied with the rules and no longer smoked in KPC. Majority of smokers (76.6%) reduced their consumption, and 5.6% of them quit smoking. Among smokers, we found that attitude toward smoking cessation, subjective norm, and perceived control for quitting were related to the intention to stop smoking.ConclusionsThe KPC smoke-free policy has been comprehensively implemented. Regulations on smoking and tobacco controls should be maintained, and monitoring should be consistently done. Media campaigns on the regulations and the availability of trained peer educators for smoking cessation help need to be applied continuously.

Smoking cessation help for cancer patients: Pilot project “Quitting supports treatment!” in National Institute of Oncology

Smoking cessation help for cancer patients: Pilot project “Quitting supports treatment!” in National Institute of Oncology

Knowledge, attitudes and practices in relation to smoking among Burkinabé people residents of Dakar (Senegal) on World No Tobacco Day 2020

Introduction: The study focused on knowledge attitudes and practices vis-à-vis smoking. It was carried out by the 2020 executive office of the Collective of Burkinabé Students in Health in Senegal on World No Tobacco Day 2020. The objective was initially to assess attitudes and practices in relation to smoking smoked by industrial cigarettes and shisha then knowledge of the anti-smoking law and the possibilities of weaning that exist in Senegal and finally to know the best attitude to fight against smoking.&#x0D; Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study for analytical purposes. The sampling technique was voluntary and data collection was self-administered and took place from Monday May 25th to Saturday May 30th, 2020 via electronic questionnaires.&#x0D; The self-administered data collection technique reduced prevarication and social desirability bias. However, the lack of preliminary calculation of a sample size makes inferences in the general population difficult. The sampling technique that was voluntary exposes itself to self-selection biases. Nevertheless, the study does suggest some very important aspects of smoking among young people.&#x0D; Results: This study shows that shisha is increasingly becoming the gateway to smoking among young people. It reveals that the health warnings on industrial cigarette packages are less and less dissuasive. It also shows that our study population believes that the two priority actions to be carried out to fight effectively against smoking in Senegal are on the one hand "to improve the offer of help for smoking cessation" and on the other hand " rigorously apply the punitive aspects of the anti-smoking law”.&#x0D; Conclusion: Smoking is a global epidemic that increasingly affects young people. Tobacco control is multidimensional and requires perfect synchronization of the different actors and continuous assessment of the effectiveness of control and prevention methods.&#x0D; Keywords: Cigarette, Shisha, Youth, Anti-tobacco control, Senegal

Smoking cessation help for cancer patients – a pilot project “Quitting Supports Treatment”

Available data suggest that up to 50% of cancer patients, who were smoking before diagnosis, continue to smoke during treatment, unaware of the damage caused due to continued tobacco use and the undervalued benefits of quitting smoking after a cancer diagnosis. Structured initiatives aimed at helping cancer patients give up smoking was undertaken at the M. Sklodowska-Curie National Research Institute of Oncology in Warsaw (Poland) within the pilot project “Quitting Supports Treatment (QST)”. QST was launched in September 2019 and was a joint initiative of two departments: 1. The Cancer Epidemiology and Primary Prevention Department and 2. The Soft Tissue/Bone Sarcoma and Melanoma Department. Moreover, QST works with the significant support of Department of Nurses and Midwives Professional Development. The preliminary results suggest the need for several organizational improvements in order to increase QST participation rates. Revision of previous experiences could bring valuable conclusions with regards to the effectiveness of QST, but also for other similar projects.

Are Danish vocational schools ready to implement \u201csmoke-free school hours\u201d? A qualitative study informed by the theory of organizational readiness for change

BackgroundThe smoking prevalence is high among students enrolled in vocational education and training, which is considered a lower level of education. The school tobacco policy regarding smoke-free school hours stipulates that students and staff are not allowed to smoke during school hours—inside or outside school premises—and it might be an effective intervention for reducing smoking in vocational schools. For school tobacco policies to be effective, they must be appropriately implemented. A primary predictor for successful implementation is organizational readiness for change. This study seeks to identify and understand the barriers to and facilitators for developing organizational readiness to implement smoke-free school hours in Danish vocational schools.MethodsSemi-structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with managers and teachers (n = 22 participants) from six vocational schools. The interview guides were informed by “A theory of organizational readiness for change” developed by Weiner, which was also used as a framework to analyze the data.ResultsWe identified 13 facilitators and barriers. Nine factors acted as facilitators, including the following: believing that health promotion is a school role and duty; believing that society and workplaces are becoming more smoke-free, and believing that smoke-free school hours is a beneficial strategy to achieve fewer educational interruptions. Additional facilitators include establishing clear rules for sanctioning and enforcement, developing a joint understanding about smoke-free school hours, developing skills to deal with student responses to smoke-free school hours, establishing social alternatives to smoking, offering smoking cessation help, and mandating smoke-free school hours by law. Four organizational norms, practices, or discourses acted as barriers: believing that smoke-free school hours violate personal freedom, believing that students have more important problems than smoking, believing that it is difficult to administer the level of enforcement, and believing that the enforcement of smoke-free school hours negatively influences student-teacher relations.DiscussionOur results suggest that developing organizational readiness before adopting a comprehensive tobacco policy such as smoke-free school hours is important for successful implementation. Further research should investigate how to strengthen the facilitators for and counter the barriers to developing readiness for implementing smoke-free school hours.

Effectiveness of nicotine gum in preventing lapses in the face of temptation to smoke among non-daily smokers: a secondary analysis.

Non-daily smokers (NDS) comprise a large fraction of US smokers. Despite little or no dependence, as typically assessed, intermittent smokers (ITS) have difficulty quitting smoking. A randomized clinical trial comparing the effect of nicotine gum with placebo on quitting smoking in non-daily smokers did not find an effect on overall abstinence. We undertook an analysis to assess whether using nicotine gum versus placebo when tempted to smoke could reduce incidence of lapses in those situations. Within a 6-week randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial of nicotine gum, analyses contrasted the outcome of temptation episodes where gum was or was not used. Smoking cessation research clinic in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. A total of 255 adult ITS (131 nicotine gum, 124 placebo) seeking help for smoking cessation. Nicotine gum (2mg) versus placebo for up to 8weeks, with as-needed dosing instructions. Outcome was lapsing in temptation episodes, as reported by participants via ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Propensity scores predicting gum use from situational factors (e.g. mood, social setting, smoking cues) served as a control variable. Participants reported 2713 temptation episodes, 46.0% (1248) of which resulted in smoking (lapsing). There was a significant gum use×active treatment interaction (P=0.0009). Using nicotine gum decreased the odds of lapsing by 55% compared with using placebo [odds ratio (OR)=0.45; 0.22-0.94]; when gum was not used, the assigned gum condition made no significant difference (OR=1.53; 0.78-3.01; Bayes factor=0.14). The nicotine effect was not reliably different when participants were trying to achieve abstinence versus when trying to maintain abstinence (OR=0.44; 0.10, 2.03; P=0.294; Bayes factor=0.11), for men and women (OR=1.68; 0.58, 4.87; P=0.343; Bayes factor=0.10), or for participants with some or no dependence (OR=0.88; 0.30, 2.59; P=0.811; Bayes factor=0.06). When used in response to temptation to smoke, 2mg nicotine gum can help to prevent lapses among non-daily smokers.

Effectiveness of the Evaluation and Communication of "Pulmonary Age" as Help for Smoking Cessation

Effectiveness of the Evaluation and Communication of "Pulmonary Age" as Help for Smoking Cessation

Cost-effectiveness of e-cigarettes compared with nicotine replacement therapy in stop smoking services in England (TEC study): a randomized controlled trial.

AimTo evaluate the cost‐effectiveness of e‐cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid used in routine stop smoking services in England.DesignCost‐effectiveness analysis was performed from the National Health Service (NHS) and Personal Social Services (PSS) perspective for 12‐month periods and life‐time. Costs, including that of both treatments, other smoking cessation help and health‐care services, and health benefits, estimated from EQ‐5D‐5L and measured in quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs), for the 12‐month analysis, came from a randomized controlled trial. Life‐time analysis was model‐based with input from both trial data and published secondary data sources. Cost‐effectiveness was measured by an incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER).SettingThree stop‐smoking service sites in England.ParticipantsAdult smokers (n = 886) who sought help to quit in the participating sites.Intervention and comparatorAn e‐cigarette (EC) starter kit versus provision of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for up to 3 months, both with standard behavioural support. A total of 886 participants were randomized (439 in the EC arm, 447 in the NRT arm). Excluding one death in each arm, the 1‐year quit rate was 18.0 and 9.9%, respectively.MeasurementsCost of treatments was estimated from the treatment log. Costs of other smoking cessation help and health‐care services and EQ‐5D‐5 L were collected at baseline, 6‐ and 12‐month follow‐ups. Incremental costs and incremental QALYs were estimated using regression adjusting for baseline covariates and their respective baseline values.FindingsThe ICER was £1100 per QALY gained at the 12 months after quit date (87% probability below £20 000/QALY). Markov model estimated the life‐time ICER of EC to be £65 per QALY (85% probability below £20 000/QALY).ConclusionUsing e‐cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid with standard behavioural support in stop‐smoking services in England is likely to be more cost‐effective than using nicotine replacement therapy in the same setting.

Feasibility and acceptability of using Wi-Fi access points to provide smoking cessation help at 17 airports and 38 railway stations across China.

The use of mobile phone significantly improved the outcomes of tobacco cessation. However, its feasibility and acceptability were unclear in the Chinese population. This study was to explore the feasibility of using Wi-Fi access points (APs) as a platform to provide smoking cessation help at 17 airports and 38 railway stations across China. This study was divided into two stages: platform development and population survey. In the first stage, a survey platform was developed and incorporated into Wi-Fi service at airports and railway stations, which could provide survey content as a pop-up window when participants tried to access the Wi-Fi service. In the second stage, a population survey was conducted to explore the intention to receive tobacco cessation support. A total of 20,199 users participated and 13,628 users submitted the survey, with a response rate of 67.47%. The smoking rate was 30.9%. A total of 86.58% of smoking participants and 2.44% of non-smoking participants wished to receive tobacco cessation support, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed intention to receive support did not differ in age, gender, and heaviness of smoking (P > 0.05). Providing tobacco cessation support via Wi-Fi APs is feasible and efficient, and smokers have high intention to receive tobacco cessation support. It is suggested hospitals, academia, information technology industries, and government agencies must work together to provide tobacco cessation support via mHealth.

MHealth smoking cessation intervention among high-school pupils (NEXit Junior): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundMobile health (mHealth) interventions, using text messages to support high-school pupils to quit smoking, could be a novel and cost-effective approach. However, more research is needed, specifically to investigate long-term effectiveness. The study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a newly developed mHealth intervention targeting smoking cessation among high-school pupils.MethodsThe study is a two-arm, randomized controlled trial with an intervention group (mHealth intervention) and a control group (treatment as usual: national smoking cessation help line). Outcome measures will be investigated at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months’ follow-up. Primary outcome measures will be: prolonged abstinence and 4-week point prevalence of smoking abstinence. Secondary outcome measures will be: 7-day point prevalence of smoking abstinence; mean number of quit attempts since taking part in the study; number of uses of other smoking cessation services since first invitation to the study and number of cigarettes smoked weekly if still smoking.DiscussionHigh schools in Sweden are bound by law to offer a smoke-free environment. However, little effort has been made to offer support to pupils who wish to quit smoking; rather the emphasis is on prevention of uptake. The study will examine the effectiveness of a stand-alone mHealth intervention targeting smokers among high-school pupils.Trial registrationThe trial was not retrospectively registered and has been registered at ISRCTN with the unique identification number ISRCTN15396225. The trial was registered on 13 October 2017.

Treatment of Tobacco Dependence Syndrome in Cancer Patients

Background: The treatment of tobacco dependence is still not included in routine cancer care in Poland. We have developed a comprehensive program aimed at introducing tobacco dependence treatment as a standard procedure of cancer treatment. The pilot program was implemented in 2015 in two Polish cities: in Maria Sklodowska-Curie Institute - Oncology Center in Warsaw and in Oncology Centre in Bialystok. After two years we started follow-up of the program. Aim: To present the results of conducted follow-up study of the treatment of tobacco dependence pilot program in Poland. Methods: The pilot smoking cessation program was implemented in 2015. Tobacco dependent patients treated in the Maria Sklodowska-Curie Institute- Oncology Center in Warsaw and Oncology Center in Bialystok participated in course of medical and psychological counseling in smoking cessation clinic and through telephone support sessions. After two years we have conducted follow-up. We reached follow-up rate of 77%. Followed-up patients were asked about behavioral changes concerning smoking and main motivation to quit smoking. The data concerning smoking cessation were collected during telephone sessions. Based on that we analyzed indicators of treatment effectiveness. Results: In pilot program 87% of participating patients implemented a behavioral change, 70% of participating patients made a quit attempt, 55% reduced smoking, and 35% stopped smoking completely after intervention. After two years 30% of participating patients are not smoking and 40% reduced smoking. 85% of patients, who have maintained the behavioral change have used a pharmacological treatment and participated in all of available procedures (medical advices, psychological counseling sessions and telephone support sessions). As main motivation for quitting, 90% patients declared state of health (including cancer diagnosis) and pressure of family members (65%). Conclusion: High percentage of cancer patients who have reduced the number of smoked cigarettes or stopped smoking indicates that specialist support increases chance to make positive behavioral changes, or even stop smoking completely. The results of the study show that cancer diagnoses can be a very teachable moment, and it is recommended that health care providers use this opportunity and offer smoking cessation help to their patients.

A pilot study on secondhand tobacco exposure: parental knowledge about health impact and feasibility of cessation.

IntroductionAs the primary source of smoke exposure is in the home, the smoking behaviors of parents and other caregivers are key determinants of a child’s exposure to secondhand smoke. The perioperative period offers an opportunity to discuss smoking cessation strategies.MethodsThis prospective study included 97 parents or caregivers of patients undergoing dental surgery. Caregivers were surveyed in the dental waiting room during the preoperative phase. The primary aim was to determine the feasibility of using the preoperative encounter to offer smoking cessation resources to parents of pediatric patients. The secondary aim was to compare willingness to receive smoking cessation resources according to the knowledge of the risks of secondhand smoking (ie, being aware of secondhand smoking and knowing that it posed a risk to their child).ResultsAwareness of risks due to secondhand smoking was 65% in the overall cohort and 58% among current smokers (P=0.284 vs nonsmokers). Among smokers in our study, only a small percentage (12%) were interested in smoking cessation help. Knowledge of the risks of secondhand smoke may not be sufficient for smokers to express willingness to receive help.ConclusionThe outpatient clinic may be a teaching opportunity for smoking cessation for caregivers. However, we found that only a small percentage of caregivers were interested in receiving information about smoking cessation. This was despite the fact they were aware of the potential adverse effects of secondhand smoke on their children.

Twelve Million Smokers Look Online for Smoking Cessation Help Annually: Health Information National Trends Survey Data, 2005-2017.

BackgroundThis study quantified the potential reach of Internet smoking cessation interventions to support calculations of potential population impact (reach × effectiveness). Using a nationally representative survey, we calculated the number and proportion of adult smokers that look for cessation assistance online each year.MethodsFive waves (2005, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) of the National Cancer Institute’s Health Information National Trends Survey were examined. The survey asked US adults whether they ever go online to use the Internet, World Wide Web, or email and had used the Internet to look for information about quitting smoking within the past 12 months. We estimated the proportion and number of (1) all US adult smokers, and (2) online US adult smokers that searched for cessation information online. Cross-year comparisons were assessed with logistic regression.ResultsThe proportion of all smokers who searched online for cessation information increased over the past decade (p < .001): 16.5% in 2005 (95% CI = 13.2% to 20.4%), 20.9% in 2011 (95% CI = 15.55% to 28.0%), 25.6% in 2013 (95% CI = 19.7% to 33.0%), 23.4% in 2015 (95% CI = 16.9% to 31.0%), and 35.9% in 2017 (95% CI = 24.8% to 48.9%). Among online smokers only, approximately one third searched online for cessation information each year from 2005 through 2015. In 2017, that proportion increased to 43.7% (95% CI = 29.7% to 58.7%), when an estimated 12.4 million online smokers searched for cessation help.ConclusionsMore than one third of all smokers turn to the Internet for help quitting each year, representing more than 12 million US adults.ImplicationsThis research provides contemporary estimates for the reach of Internet interventions for smoking cessation. Such estimates are necessary to estimate the population impact of Internet interventions on quit rates. The research finds more than 12 million US smokers searched online for cessation information in 2017.

Association between smoking cessation and weight gain in treatment-seeking African Americans

IntroductionResearch has shown that African Americans gain more than average weight after smoking cessation. However, African Americans have been underrepresented in post-cessation weight gain research. The current study examined 1) the pattern of weight gain and 2) the association between smoking status and weight gain in a sample of African Americans seeking smoking cessation treatment. MethodsData were drawn from a randomized controlled trial testing the efficacy of a 4-week culturally specific smoking cessation cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention among African American smokers (N = 342). Weight was measured and self-reported smoking status was biochemically verified at baseline, end of counseling, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups. Random effects multilevel modeling was used to examine weight gain over twelve months post CBT, and a fully unconditional model tested the pattern of weight gain over time. Smoking status was included as a time-varying factor to examine its effect on weight gain, controlling for potential confounding variables. ResultsWeight significantly increased among those who remained abstinent over 12 months post CBT [average gain of seven lbs. (three kg)]. Controlling for covariates, abstinence was predictive of the rate of weight gain for those with high weight concern. ConclusionsWeight gain among African American abstainers was comparable to the average post-cessation weight gain observed among the general population. It is possible that exposure to CBT (culturally specific or standard) may have mitigated excessive weight gain. Future research should assess predictors of weight gain in African American smokers to inform future smoking cessation interventions and help elucidate factors that contribute to tobacco- and obesity-related health disparities.

Design of effective interventions for smoking cessation through financial and non-financial incentives.

Smoking has a tremendous negative impact on the Canadian economy and contributes to growing costs in the healthcare system. Efforts to reduce smoking rates may therefore reduce strain on the healthcare system and free up scarce resources. Academic literature on economic smoking cessation incentives presents a countless variety of interventions that have met with varying degrees of success. This study reviews six different variables used in the design of incentives in smoking cessation interventions: direction, form, magnitude, certainty, recipient grouping, and target demographic. The purpose of this study is to provide analysis and recommendations about the contribution of each variable into the overall effectiveness of smoking cessation programs and help health leaders design better interventions according to their specific needs.