TY - JOUR
T1 - Quitting experiences and preferences for a future quit attempt
T2 - A study among inpatient smokers
AU - Thomas, Dennis
AU - Abramson, Michael J.
AU - Bonevski, Billie
AU - Taylor, Simone
AU - Poole, Susan G.
AU - Weeks, Gregory R.
AU - Dooley, Michael J.
AU - George, Johnson
PY - 2015/4
Y1 - 2015/4
N2 - Objective: Understanding smokers' quit experiences and their preferences for a future quit attempt may aid in the development of effective cessation treatments. The aims of this study were to measure tobacco use behaviour; previous quit attempts and outcomes; methods used to assist quitting; difficulties experienced during previous attempts; the motives and preferred methods to assist quitting in a future attempt; identify the factors associated with preferences for smoking cessation. Design: Face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire. Setting: Inpatient wards of three Australian public hospitals. Participants: Hospitalised smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation trial. Results: Of 600 enrolled patients (42.8% participation rate), 64.3% (n=386) had attempted quitting in the previous 12 months. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), current motivation to quit smoking was high (median 9; IQR 6.5-10), but confidence was modest (median 5; IQR 3-8). Among 386 participants who reported past quit attempts, 69.9% (n=270) had used at least one cessation aid to assist quitting. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was most commonly stated (222, 57.5%), although the majority had used NRT for <4 weeks. Hypnotherapy was the most common (68, 17.6%) non-pharmacological treatment. Over 80% (n=311) experienced withdrawal symptoms; craving and irritability were commonly reported. Most participants (351, 58.5%) believed medications, especially NRT (322, 53.7%), would assist them to quit in the future. History of previous smoking cessation medication use was the only independent predictor of interest in using medications for a future quit attempt. Conclusions: The majority of smokers had attempted quitting in the previous 12 months; NRT was a popular cessation treatment, although it was not used as recommended by most. This suggests a need for assistance in the selection and optimal use of cessation aids for hospitalised smokers. Trial registration number: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12612000368831.
AB - Objective: Understanding smokers' quit experiences and their preferences for a future quit attempt may aid in the development of effective cessation treatments. The aims of this study were to measure tobacco use behaviour; previous quit attempts and outcomes; methods used to assist quitting; difficulties experienced during previous attempts; the motives and preferred methods to assist quitting in a future attempt; identify the factors associated with preferences for smoking cessation. Design: Face-to-face interview using a structured questionnaire. Setting: Inpatient wards of three Australian public hospitals. Participants: Hospitalised smokers enrolled in a smoking cessation trial. Results: Of 600 enrolled patients (42.8% participation rate), 64.3% (n=386) had attempted quitting in the previous 12 months. On a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high), current motivation to quit smoking was high (median 9; IQR 6.5-10), but confidence was modest (median 5; IQR 3-8). Among 386 participants who reported past quit attempts, 69.9% (n=270) had used at least one cessation aid to assist quitting. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) was most commonly stated (222, 57.5%), although the majority had used NRT for <4 weeks. Hypnotherapy was the most common (68, 17.6%) non-pharmacological treatment. Over 80% (n=311) experienced withdrawal symptoms; craving and irritability were commonly reported. Most participants (351, 58.5%) believed medications, especially NRT (322, 53.7%), would assist them to quit in the future. History of previous smoking cessation medication use was the only independent predictor of interest in using medications for a future quit attempt. Conclusions: The majority of smokers had attempted quitting in the previous 12 months; NRT was a popular cessation treatment, although it was not used as recommended by most. This suggests a need for assistance in the selection and optimal use of cessation aids for hospitalised smokers. Trial registration number: Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12612000368831.
KW - nicotine addiction
KW - Smoking cessation
KW - smokers’ quit experiences
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84928382175&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://purl.org/au-research/grants/ARC/LP110200724
U2 - 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006959
DO - 10.1136/bmjopen-2014-006959
M3 - Article
C2 - 25888475
AN - SCOPUS:84928382175
SN - 2044-6055
VL - 5
JO - BMJ Open
JF - BMJ Open
IS - 4
M1 - e006959
ER -