Concordance of self-reported abstinence and measurement of expired air carbon monoxide in a self-help smoking cessation treatment.
Some self-help programmes for smoking cessation obtain abstinence data entirely from participants' self-reports. This may lead to overestimation of efficacy. In the present study, the relationship between self-reported abstinence and expired-air carbon monoxide was evaluated at the 12-mo. follow-up in 200 smokers who had participated in a self-help programme for smoking cessation conducted by mail. Analysis indicated a close relationship between carbon monoxide levels and self-reports of smoking status; concordance was about 90%. Studies of the efficacy of self-help programmes for smoking cessation should include some sort of objective verification of self-reported abstinence.
Becoña
Elisardo
E
University of Santiago de Compostela, Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Campus Universitario Sur, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Spain. pcelisar@usc.es
Míguez
M Carmen
MC
D000328:Adult; D000388:Air / Q000032:analysis*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045853:Exhalation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016730:Program Development; D012648:Self Care; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention
D002248:Carbon Monoxide