Factors associated with successful smoking cessation in the United States, 2000.
OBJECTIVE
Each year, nearly 2 in 5 cigarette smokers try to quit, but fewer than 10% succeed. Taking a multifaceted approach to examine the predictors of successfully quitting smoking, we identified factors associated with successful quitting so that cessation programs could be tailored to those at highest risk for relapse.


METHODS
Using data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey, we employed multiple regression analysis to compare demographic, behavioral, and environmental characteristics of current smokers who tried unsuccessfully to quit in the previous 12 months with characteristics of those able to quit for at least 7 to 24 months before the survey.


RESULTS
Successful quitters were more likely than those unable to quit to have rules against smoking in their homes, less likely to have switched to light cigarettes for health concerns, and more likely to be aged 35 years or older, married or living with a partner, and non-Hispanic White, and to have at least a college education.


CONCLUSIONS
Programs promoting smoking cessation might benefit by involving family or other household members to encourage smoke-free homes.
Lee
Chung-won
CW
Office on Smoking and Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga 30333, USA. clee2@cdc.gov
Kahende
Jennifer
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009679:Nuclear Family / Q000523:psychology; D012008:Recurrence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012931:Social Environment; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States