Predictors of quitting among African American light smokers enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the predictors of quitting among African American (AA) light smokers (<10 cigarettes per day) enrolled in a smoking cessation trial.

METHODS

Baseline variables were analyzed as potential predictors from a 2 x 2 cessation trial in which participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatment groups: nicotine gum plus health education (HE) counseling, nicotine gum plus motivational interviewing (MI) counseling, placebo gum plus HE counseling, or placebo gum plus MI counseling. Chi-square tests, 2 sample t-tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify predictors of cotinine (COT) verified abstinence at month 6.

RESULTS

In the final regression model, HE rather than MI counseling (odds ratio [OR]=2.26%, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.36 to 3.74), older age (OR=1.03%, 95% CI=1.01 to 1.06), and higher body mass index (OR=1.04%, 95% CI=1.01 to 1.07) significantly increased the likelihood of quitting, while female gender (OR=0.46%, 95% CI=0.28 to 0.76),</=$1,800/month income (OR=0.60%, 95% CI=0.37 to 0.97), higher baseline COT (OR=0.948%, 95% CI=0.946 to 0.950), and not completing all counseling sessions (OR=0.48%, 95% CI=0.27 to 0.84) reduced the odds of quitting.

CONCLUSIONS

Individual characteristics may decrease the likelihood of quitting; however, the provision of directive, advice-oriented counseling focused on the addictive nature of nicotine, health consequences of smoking, benefits of quitting, and development of a concrete quit plan may be an important and effective facilitator of quitting among AA light smokers.