Elsevier

Addictive Behaviors

Volume 135, December 2022, 107442
Addictive Behaviors

Real-world effectiveness of smoking cessation aids: A population survey in England with 12-month follow-up, 2015–2020

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2022.107442Get rights and content
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open access

Highlight

  • Use of varenicline in a quit attempt was associated with increased odds of smoking cessation.

  • Data were inconclusive regarding a benefit of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.

  • Use of e-cigarettes was unlikely associated with lower odds of smoking cessation.

  • Associations between other aids and cessation were inconclusive.

Abstract

Objective

To examine the real-world effectiveness of popular smoking cessation aids, adjusting for potential confounders measured up to 12 months before the quit attempt.

Methods

1,045 adult (≥18y) smokers in England provided data at baseline (April 2015-November 2020) and reported a serious past-year quit attempt at 12-month follow-up. Our outcome was smoking cessation, defined as self-reported abstinence at 12 months. Independent variables were use in the most recent quit attempt of: varenicline, prescription NRT, over-the-counter NRT, e-cigarettes, and traditional behavioural support. Potential confounders were age, sex, social grade, alcohol consumption, and level of dependence (measured at baseline), variables relating to the most recent quit attempt (measured at 12-month follow-up), and survey year.

Results

Participants who reported using varenicline in their most recent quit attempt had significantly higher odds of abstinence than those who did not, after adjustment for potential confounders and use of other aids (OR = 2.69, 95 %CI = 1.43–5.05). Data were inconclusive regarding whether using prescription NRT, over-the-counter NRT, e-cigarettes, or traditional behavioural support was associated with increased odds of abstinence (p > 0.05; Bayes factors = 0.41–1.71, expected effect size OR = 1.19), but provided moderate evidence that using e-cigarettes was more likely associated with no effect than reduced odds (Bayes factor = 0.31, expected effect size OR = 0.75).

Conclusions

Use of varenicline in a quit attempt was associated with increased odds of successful smoking cessation. Data were inconclusive regarding a benefit of e-cigarettes for cessation but showed use of e-cigarettes was unlikely to be associated with reduced odds of cessation. Associations between other cessation aids and cessation were inconclusive.

Keywords

Smoking cessation
Quit attempts
Cessation aid
E-cigarettes
Varenicline
Behavioural support
Nicotine replacement therapy
Abstinence
Quit success

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