title: Efficacy of smoking-cessation interventions for young adults: a meta-analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Approximately 22% of U.S. young adults (aged 18-24 years) are smokers. Young adults typically display an interest in quitting, but it is unknown whether the evidence-based cessation programs designed for adults will be equally effective for young adults. This meta-analysis investigated the efficacy of smoking-cessation programs for this population.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 2009-2011, studies published between 2004 and 2008 that investigated smoking cessation were first found through the DHHS Clinical Practice Guidelines for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence as well as a PubMed search (2009-2010) and were then subjected to a rigorous inclusion process. Authors were contacted to glean raw data for young adults. Fourteen studies provided data that were coded for descriptive information and aggregated using the Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, version 2.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among young adults, any type of intervention was more effective in producing successful smoking cessation than the control. This was the case for intent-to-treat analyses as well as complete cases. When interventions were effective for the larger adult sample, they were also effective for the younger adult sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although young adults tend to underutilize evidence-based cessation treatments, the current meta-analysis showed that these treatments should be as effective for young adults as they are for the general adult population. Thus, it may be useful to focus on motivating young adults to seek cessation treatment to increase utilization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. jerry-suls@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Jerry M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Suls
authors.forename: Tana M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Luger
authors.forename: Susan J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Curry
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Mermelstein
authors.forename: Amy K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Sporer
authors.forename: Larry C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: An
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult