Population-based survey of cessation aids used by Swedish smokers

Harm Reduction Journal

Lars E Rutqvist¹ 

[1] Scientific Affairs Group, Swedish Match AB, Maria Skolgata 83, Stockholm 118 85, Sweden

关键词: Population-based;    Cross-sectional;    Survey;    Nicotine replacement therapy;    Snus;    Smoking cessation;   

Others  :  809944
DOI  :  10.1186/1477-7517-9-38

 received in 2011-12-01, accepted in 2012-11-24,  发布年份 2012

【 摘 要 】

Background

Most smokers who quit typically do so unassisted although pharmaceutical products are increasingly used by those who want a quitting aid. Previous Scandinavian surveys indicated that many smokers stopped smoking by switching from cigarettes to smokeless tobacco in the form of snus. However, usage of various cessation aids may have changed in Sweden during recent years due to factors such as the wider availability of pharmaceutical nicotine, the public debate about the health effects of different tobacco products, excise tax increases on snus relative to cigarettes, and the widespread public misconception that nicotine is the main cause of the adverse health effects associated with tobacco use.

Methods

A population-based, cross-sectional survey was done during November 2008 and September 2009 including 2,599 males and 3,409 females aged between 18 and 89 years. The sampling technique was random digit dialing. Data on tobacco habits and quit attempts were collected through structured telephone interviews.

Results

The proportion of ever smokers was similar among males (47%) compared to females (44%). About two thirds of them reported having stopped smoking at the time of the survey. Among the former smokers, the proportion who reported unassisted quitting was slightly lower among males (68%) compared to females (78%). Among ever smokers who reported having made assisted quit attempts, snus was the most frequently reported cessation aid among males (22%), whereas females more frequently reported counseling (8%), or pharmaceutical nicotine (gum 8%, patch 4%). Of those who reported using snus at their latest quit attempt, 81% of males and 72% of females were successful quitters compared to about 50-60% for pharmaceutical nicotine and counseling.

Conclusions

This survey confirms and extends previous reports in showing that, although most smokers who have quit did so unassisted, snus continues to be the most frequently reported cessation aid among male smokers, whereas usage of pharmaceutical nicotine was more prevalent among females. Use of snus at the latest quit attempt appeared to be associated with a higher success rate among both males and females than other reported methods, although statistically significant differences were mainly observed among males.

【 授权许可】

   
2012 Rutqvist; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.

【 参考文献 】

• [1]Yeomans K, Payne KA, Marton JP, Merikle EP, Proskorovsky I, Zou KH, Li Q, Wilke RJ: Smoking, smoking cessation and smoking relapse patterns: a web-based survey of current and former smokers in the US. Int J Clin Pract 2011, 65:1043-1054.
• [2]Hung WT, Dunlop SM, Perez D, Cotter T: Use and perceived helpfulness of smoking cessation methods: results from a population survey of recent quitters. BMC Public Health 2011, 11:592. BioMed Central Full Text
• [3]Stead LF, Perera R, Bullen C, et al.: Nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database System 2012, 11:CD000146.
• [4]Aubin HJ, Karila L, Reynaud M: Pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation: present and future. Curr Pharm Des 2011, 17:1343-1350.
• [5]Apelberg BJ, Onicescu G, Avila-Tang E, Samet JM: Estimating the risks and benefits of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation in the United States. Am J Publ Health 2010, 100:341-348.
• [6]Ramström LM, Foulds J: Role of snus in initiation and cessation of tobacco smoking in Sweden. Tob Control 2006, 15:210-214.
• [7]Lund KE, McNeill A, Scheffels J: The use of snus for quitting smoking compared with medicinal products. Nicotine Tob Res 2010, 12:817-822.
• [8]Holm LE, Fisker J, Larsen BI, Puska P, Halldórsson M: Snus does not save lives: quitting smoking does. Tob Control 2009, 18:250-251.
• [9]World Health Organization, (2009). WHO Study Group on Tobacco Product Regulation: Report on the scientific basis of tobacco product regulation: third report of a WHO study group. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO Technical Report Series 955; 2009.
• [10]Joksić G, Spasojević-Tišma V, Antić R, Nilsson R, Rutqvist LE: Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of Swedish snus for smoking reduction and cessation. Harm Reduct J 2011, 8:25. BioMed Central Full Text
• [11]Fagerström K, Rutqvist L, Hughes J: Snus as a smoking cessation aid: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Nicotine Tob Res 2011, 14:306-312.
• [12]Wikmans T, Ramström L: Harm perception among Swedish daily smokers regarding nicotine NRT-products and Swedish snus. Tobacco Induced Diseases 2010, 8:9. BioMed Central Full Text
• [13]Kirshenbaum AP, Olsen DM, Bickel WK: A quantitative review of the ubiquitous relapse curve. J Subst Abuse Treat 2009, 36:8-17.
• [14]Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR): Health effects of smokeless tobacco products. Brussels: European Commission: Health & Consumer Protection Directorate-General; 2008.