The effectiveness of the Allen Carr smoking cessation training in companies tested in a quasi-experimental design

BMC Public Health

Marike van Kalken⁴  Diederick Vos²  Rixt Zuidema³  Arie Dijkstra¹ 

[1] University of Groningen, Grote Kruisstraat 2/1, 9712 TS Groningen, The Netherlands;Jobsites Inc., Amsterdam, Amsterdam, UK;University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands;Bewegen Werkt Holding B.V., Enschede, The Netherlands

关键词: CO validation;    Quasi-experimental;    Allen Carr training;    Smoking cessation;   

Others  :  1127044
DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-14-952

 received in 2014-04-10, accepted in 2014-09-08,  发布年份 2014

【 摘 要 】

Background

The Allen Carr training (ACt) is a popular one-session smoking cessation group training that is provided by licensed organizations that have the permission to use the Allen Carr method. However, few data are available on the effectiveness of the training.

Methods

In a quasi-experimental design the effects of the existing practice of providing the ACt to smokers (n = 124) in companies on abstinence, were compared to changes in abstinence in a cohort of similar smokers in the general population (n = 161). To increase comparability of the smokers in both conditions, smokers in the control condition were matched on the group level on baseline characteristics (fourteen variables) to the smokers in the ACt. The main outcome measure was self-reported continuous abstinence after 13 months, which was validated using a CO measurement in the Act condition.

Results

Logistic regression analyses showed that when baseline characteristics were comparable, significantly more responding smokers were continuously abstinent in the ACt condition compared to the control condition, Exp(B) = 6.52 (41.1% and 9.6%, respectively). The all-cases analysis was also significant, Exp(B) = 5.09 (31.5% and 8.3%, respectively).

Conclusion

Smokers following the ACt in their company were about 6 times more likely to be abstinent, assessed after 13 months, compared to similar smokers in the general population. Although smokers in both conditions did not differ significantly on 14 variables that might be related to cessation success, the quasi-experimental design allows no definite conclusion about the effectiveness of the ACt. Still, these data support the provision of the ACt in companies.

【 授权许可】

   
2014 Dijkstra et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 图 表 】

Figure 1.

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