Family support and employment as predictors of smoking cessation success: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of nicotine sublingual tablets in chinese smokers.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study is to assess social support and demographic factors that influence the success of smoking cessation aided with sublingual nicotine tablets in a Han Chinese population.

METHODS

We randomly allocated 211 Beijing residents who smoked >or= 10 cigarettes a day for at least 1 year into a double-blind, placebo-controlled 3-month randomized smoking cessation trial using sublingual nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Self-reports of sustained smoking cessation were verified during the study by expired carbon monoxide concentrations and urine-cotinine concentrations. Logistic regression analysis used an intent to treat sample for sociodemographic associations with abstinence and reduction in smoking.

RESULTS

The abstinence rates at the end of treatment for NRT vs. placebo were 52 % vs .19%, and smoking reduction (reduced to at least 50% of baseline) rates for NRT vs. placebo were 43% vs .15% for a total response rate with NRT of 95% for either stopping completely or reducing smoking by 50%. The only factor strongly associated with successful smoking cessation after 3 months of sublingual NRT was being married (adjusted odds ratio 2.18; 95%confidence interval 1.10-4.33). Smoking association, on the other hand, was associated with being married and with employment as a white collar worker (2.24; 1.03 to 4.86).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest the need for a more in-depth examination of the impact of being married and employment as a white collar worker (rather than manual laborer) in order to develop better targeted interventions for improving smoking cessation interventions.