title: Smokers' challenge: immediate and long-term findings of a community smoking cessation contest.
abstract: The present study examined the effectiveness of a community-based smoking contest in helping 500 smokers maintain three months postcontest and one year postcontest abstinence. The majority were chronic smokers with a limited number of previous quit attempts. The three- and 12-month postcontest quit rates were 19 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively, rates exceeding naturally occurring community cessation rates. The contest was found to be more cost-effective than quit smoking classes.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D012907:Smoking; D000074606:Smoking Prevention