Learning Objectives: Describe the demographic charactersitcs, nictotine dependency, and stages of change status of users of a web-based smoking cessation program as compared to population and clinical sample data.
Abstract:
Problem/Objective: Smoking is the leading cause of death in the United States, yet 48 million (24%) Americans continue to smoke. Effective behavioral interventions include brief advice, counseling, guided self-help and telephone counseling. Unfortunately, many smokers do not have access to evidence-based treatment. Web-based interventions may have considerable potential to facilitate health behavior change. The objective of the present study is to describe the demographic characteristics, cessation history, nicotine dependency and stages of change status of a large sample of an independently owned, evidence based, free to consumer web-based smoking cessation program.
Methods: Cumulative data from users of The Stop Smoking Center were compared to data from other populations and clinical sample data.
Results: Users of the smoking cessation program included 2453 (64.01%) women and 1320 (34.99%) men. On average, users were 38 years of age, smoked 28 cigarettes per day and had smoked for 20 years. On average, users reported seven previous quit attempts and one co-resident smoker. Fifty-five percent of users who participated in the program reached contemplation, 16% reached the preparation stage, 9% reached being in the process of quitting, and 17% reached the maintenance stage.
Discussion: The results of this study suggest that the users of the web-based program are similar to the users of other smoking cessation programs. Limitations of the data collected are discussed. Further research is needed into the efficacy of web-based behavioral health interventions.
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