title: Recent quitters' interest in recycling and harm reduction.
abstract: Many smoking cessation attempts are followed by failure or relapse. The optimal time to initiate a new quit attempt is not known. Administrative databases documenting recent use of a pharmacological aid for smoking cessation provide access to a population of smokers recently in the action phase of quitting. This study describes interest in further treatment among this population. A total of 2,340 smokers from the Minneapolis Veterans Administration Medical Center received prescriptions for a smoking cessation aid during an 18-month period. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of a random sample of this population a minimum of 3 months following the prescription, using a structured telephone interview (N=391). The response rate was 75.8%. The 1-month point-prevalent abstinence rate was 19.7%. Of continuing smokers, 98% were willing to make another quit attempt--50% immediately, and 28% within 1 month. There was no relationship between time since the last quit attempt and interest in trying again immediately. Some 95% of continuing smokers were willing to try a reduction strategy. Of these, 82.7% were interested in using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to accomplish this goal. Most cessation programs do not systematically approach participants who relapse. These data suggest that this population would welcome further help in quitting or reducing smoking shortly following failure, and that smokers do not commonly relapse to a precontemplation stage of change.
authors.affiliation: Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Center for Chronic Disease Outcomes Research of Health Services Research and Development, and University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417, USA. Anne.M.Joseph@med.va.gov
authors.forename: Anne M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.forename: Kathryn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rice
authors.forename: Lawrence C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Asra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohiuddin
authors.forename: Harry
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lando
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019992:Databases as Topic; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D040261:Harm Reduction; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012008:Recurrence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine