The second Chicago televised smoking cessation program: a 24-month follow-up.
OBJECTIVE
As smoking decreases in the population, the remaining smoking population will change, and cessation initiatives will have to incorporate strategies designed for these smokers.


METHODS
To study patterns of response to a cessation intervention composed of 20 televised segments and the American Lung Association Freedom from Smoking in 20 Days manual, this study compared cessation rates over 24 months in a cohort of smokers who registered for a cessation program with those in a cohort selected from the smoking population at large.


RESULTS
At post intervention, multiple point prevalence of cessation among participants, adjusted for baseline smoking, was 14% among registrants and 6% in the population; at 24 months the adjusted rates were 6% and 2%, respectively. Heavy smokers benefited more than light smokers, and there was a consistent dose-response relationship between extent of exposure to the intervention and cessation.


CONCLUSIONS
The effects of the intervention were strongest for those who read the manual and watched the programs daily. Manual use was important, and those who did not read it did not appear to benefit. Compared to the population and given full participation, heavy smokers benefited more than lighter smokers.
Warnecke
R B
RB
Survey Research Laboratory, University of Illinois, Chicago 60680.
Langenberg
P
P
Wong
S C
SC
Flay
B R
BR
Cook
T D
TD
D000328:Adult; D002641:Chicago / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015995:Prevalence; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012648:Self Care / Q000592:standards*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013690:Television / Q000592:standards*