title: An internet survey of use, opinions and preferences for smoking cessation medications: nicotine, varenicline, and bupropion.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We assessed use, compliance and preferences among smoking cessation medications in a "real world" sample of current and former smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internet survey on a smoking cessation website (French/English, 2008-2010) to assess use of nicotine replacement therapies (NRT), varenicline, and bupropion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 885 participants (39% current smokers, 61% former smokers), the majority of the sample (70%) was female. The most frequently used medications were, in order: patches (40%), varenicline (23%), nicotine gum (16%), nicotine lozenge/tablet (10%), bupropion (8%), and inhaler (3%). Satisfaction, perceived relief of craving/withdrawal and effectiveness were best for varenicline and lowest for gum. In current users, duration of use was longest for gum (121 days), lozenge/tablet (152 days) and shortest for patch (25 days). Daily use was good for lozenge (9 pieces/day) but less than recommended for gum (6 pieces/day) and inhaler (2 plugs/day). People who tried more than 1 medication found varenicline more effective and satisfactory than NRT or bupropion; and users preferred patch to gum. By smoking status, former smokers had more education, reported greater use of medications (daily, over time) and reported more satisfaction with medications than current smokers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An Internet survey showed smoking cessation medications differed significantly in perceived effectiveness, satisfaction, and smoking status (former vs. current smoking). Except for lozenge/tablet, insufficient daily use remained a problem with acute NRTs. For all medications, improving outcome may require better instruction for proper use, approval of new indications (precessation) or development of new medications that bypass compliance issues that undermine success.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Switzerland. jean-francois.etter@unige.ch
authors.forename: Jean-François
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Etter
authors.forename: Nina G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Schneider
mesh_terms: D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003625:Data Collection; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices; D000068580:Varenicline; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001552:Benzazepines; D011810:Quinoxalines; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine; D000068580:Varenicline