A televised, self-help, cigarette smoking cessation intervention.
A televised, self-help cigarette smoking cessation intervention was conducted and evaluated. During the 20-day program, reports were broadcast daily on the evening news programs of the local affiliate station of a national television network. Two samples of smokers who requested self-help manuals were interviewed by telephone immediately following the conclusion of the program and again 3 months later concerning their demographic characteristics, participation in the program, and smoking and quitting experiences. In one sample heavier smokers who expressed a greater desire to quit were more likely to participate in the program and, at the three-month followup, 21% reported being abstinent compared to 10% of those who did not participate. Smokers in the other sample were invited to attend three weekly support meetings during the program. More of those who attended meetings (35%) reported quitting during the program than those who did not attend (23%), but this difference did not persist for 3 months. A greater percentage of the meeting sample (27%) than the other sample (21%) reported abstinence initially, but this difference did not persist for three months either. Intervention outcomes are compared with several standards.
Gruder
C L
CL
Department of Psychology, University of Illinois, Chicago 60680.
Warnecke
R B
RB
Jason
L A
LA
Flay
B R
BR
Peterson
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011380:Programmed Instructions as Topic; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013690:Television