title: Markov model of smoking cessation.
abstract: Survival functions from smoking cessation interventions are described by a three-state Markov model. On quitting, smokers transit through a state of withdrawal characterized by a high rate of relapse, and then into a more secure state of long-term abstinence. The Markov model embodies the dynamic nature of the cessation/relapse process; it permits stronger inference to long-term abstinence rates, provides measures of treatment efficacy, describes the outcomes of new quit attempts, and suggests mechanisms for the survival process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1104, USA. killeen@asu.edu
authors.forename: Peter R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Killeen
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008390:Markov Chains; D008954:Models, Biological; D012008:Recurrence; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D016019:Survival Analysis