Abstinence from smoking ten years after participation in a randomized controlled trial of a self-help program.
This study was based on a ten-year follow-up of smokers who had participated in a randomized controlled trial of a behavioral self-help program for smoking cessation. The original sample was made up of 200 smokers assigned at random to two treatment groups. Ten years later 93.5% (n=187) of the sample were successfully located (of the 13 not located, 6 had died), from whom information was obtained about their current state and the evolution of their smoking over the 10-year period. Reported abstinence at this follow-up was confirmed by carbon monoxide in expired air. Significant differences were found in the abstinence rates of the two groups at the follow-ups 1 year (14% vs. 28%) and 2 years (13% vs. 24%) after the end of the treatment. After 10 years 26% (n=52) of the total sample were abstinent. Over the ten-year period, 62.0% tried to give up smoking at some point, the mean figure for attempts being 1.3. According to the results of the 10-year follow-up, low nicotine dependence at pretreatment is a major factor predicting long-term cessation in smokers.
Míguez
M Carmen
MC
University of Santiago de Compostela, Faculty of Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Campus Universitario Sur, 15782 Santiago de Compostela, Spain. pcmcm@usc.es
Becoña
Elisardo
E
D000328:Adult; D001944:Breath Tests; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011177:Postal Service; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013030:Spain; D013689:Telephone; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000628:therapy
D002248:Carbon Monoxide