title: Smoking cessation among Chinese young smokers: does gender and age difference matters and what are the predictors?
abstract: This study assessed the gender and age differences in smoking cessation among the Chinese youth and identified factors associated with quitting smoking. This was a clinic based cross-sectional study with longitudinal components among 129 Chinese young smokers. All services in the clinic including one week's supply of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) were free. We used structured questionnaires at baseline and at 1, 3 and 12 months. The analysis was by intention-to-treat basis. At 12 month follow up, the 7 day point prevalence quit rate (abstinence from tobacco smoking during the 7 days preceding the follow up) was 19% (25/129) and 36% (25/69) among all the attendees and among those who were successfully followed up, respectively. There was no significant gender or age differences in the quitting outcome but females and the older youth reported more withdrawal symptoms. Not reporting any withdrawal symptoms at 3 months follow up and adherence to use NRT for at least 4 weeks were significant predictors of quitting. A clinic-based smoking cessation service among Chinese young smokers produced an acceptable quit rate with no gender and age difference, indicating that a more general quit smoking approach could be taken for the youth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Department of International Health, School of Public Health, Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA. asm.abdullah@graduate.hku.hk
authors.forename: Abu Saleh M
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.forename: Tai-Hing
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Sophia S C
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Anthony J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Hedley
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009790:Occupations; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011379:Prognosis; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome / Q000523:psychology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000208:ethnology / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine