Factors Associated with Smoking Cessation Among Quit Smart(™) Participants.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate social and program factors associated with the one-year smoking cessation rate among participants of a smoking cessation program at a managed care organization (MCO).

METHODS

As implemented at this MCO, the Quit Smart(™) program incorporated group sessions taught by health educators, discount vouchers for nicotine replacement patches, self-help manuals, and a relaxation audiotape. A survey of 97 patients who participated in the program during 1999 or 2000 or both was administered one year after these participants completed the program.

RESULTS

Of the 97 participants, 58 responded to the survey. Nineteen (33%) reported not smoking at one year after completing the program; and 11 (19%) reported that they were smoking-abstinent for 12 months after completing the program. Compared with patients who did not use the nicotine patch, respondents who used the nicotine patch were significantly more likely (OR = 4.42 [1.12, 17.35]) to report not smoking at 12 months after completing the program and to be smoking-abstinent for 12 months after completing the program (OR = 8.31 [1.15-60.22]). Respondents who were exposed to smoking in two or three settings (ie, at home, with friends, at work) were significantly less likely to report smoking cessation at 12 months (OR = 0.12 [0.02, 0.70]) and to have abstained from smoking for 12 months (OR = 0.04 [0.01, 0.42]) than were respondents who were not exposed to smoking in these settings.

CONCLUSIONS

The Quit Smart(™) program achieved 12-month smoking cessation and abstinence rates comparable with those achieved by other multifactorial programs to promote smoking cessation. Subsidized therapy using the nicotine patch was effective for promoting smoking cessation. However, program success was inhibited by exposure to smoking in domestic and social situations.