Learning Objectives: Compare young adults vs. adults on social factors, NRT use, and telephone counseling and how they are related to cessation rates.
Abstract: Current public policy debate as well as previous studies has shown that cigarette smoking among younger people is of particular concern. During June 2000-May 2001 the American Cancer Society conducted a randomized trial of telephone counseling among more than 3,500 current smokers. All callers ready to make a serious quit attempt within the next two weeks were randomized to receive either self-help booklets through the mail or booklets and up to five sessions of telephone counseling. Baseline and six-month follow-up data were collected by telephone and quitting was confirmed bio-chemically. The proportion of study participants in the 18-25 age group was 12%. Younger smokers reported less frequent mean daily use (18 vs. 24 cigarettes, p<0.001), but only slightly fewer previous quit attempts (7.2 vs. 9.1). In the baseline interviews, younger smokers had higher mean ratings for perceived social pressures toward quitting, but lower ratings of perceived social support for their cessation attempt. Six-month quit rates were significantly higher among study participants who received telephone counseling than among those who received self-help booklets only, both among the younger group (15% vs. 6.5%, p<0.01) and the older group (13% vs. 7.4%, p<0.005). While younger smokers used NRT less frequently (7% vs. 17%, p<0.001), they appeared to derive a greater benefit from it (quit rates with NRT use: 36% younger vs. 21% older, p<0.05). Younger smokers face different social factors related to smoking and cessation but can benefit as much if not more than older smokers from telephone counseling and NRT.
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