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IntroductionAsian immigrants to the U.S. smoke at higher rates than U.S.-born Asians. However, few programs exist to help these immigrants quit and little is known about their real-world effectiveness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded the Asian Smokers' Quitline to serve Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese immigrants nationwide. This study examines service utilization and outcomes from the first 7 years of the program.MethodsFrom August 2012 to July 2019, the Asian Smokers' Quitline enrolled 14,073 Chinese-, Korean-, and Vietnamese-speaking smokers. Service utilization rates and cessation outcomes were compared with those of an earlier trial (conducted 2004-2008) that demonstrated the efficacy of an Asian-language telephone counseling protocol. Data were analyzed in 2019.ResultsAsian Smokers' Quitline participants came from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The main referral sources were Asian-language newspapers (37.2%), family and friends (16.4%), healthcare providers (11.9%), and radio (11.9%). Overall, 37.6% were uninsured, 38.8% had chronic health conditions, and 15.4% had mental health conditions. Compared with participants in the earlier trial, Quitline participants received 1 fewer counseling session (3.8 vs 4.9, p14,000 Asian-language-speaking smokers across the U.S. in its first 7 years. This quitline could serve as a model for delivering other behavioral services to geographically dispersed linguistic minority populations.

Introduction In 2016, the California Department of Health Care Services issued All Plan Letter 16-014 to the Medi-Cal Managed Care plans to provide information on requirements for comprehensive tobacco-cessation services. Researchers at the University of California, San Diego set out to (1) examine Medi-Cal's Managed Care plans’ progress in implementing each section of All Plan Letter 16-014, (2) understand various factors related to implementation of the All Plan Letter, and (3) make recommendations to improve implementation. Methods Researchers surveyed health educators within California's 25 Medi-Cal Managed Care plans to document each one's smoking-cessation services and policies in 2018. Data were collected for 24 of the 25 Medi-Cal Managed Care plans (96%) through 3 methods, including: (1) a web-based survey, (2) an in-depth phone interview, and (3) collection of smoking cessation–relevant documents. Results Managed Care plans demonstrate low levels of full implementation, with only 1 fully implementing all 20 provisions of the All Plan Letter. On average, Managed Care plans implemented 13 of the 20 provisions. Managed Care plans had the highest implementation rates for provisions related to requirements for coverage of the 7 U.S. Food and Drug Administration–approved medications for tobacco cessation, in which 12 (55%) fully implemented all related required provisions. Managed Care plans had lowest implementation rates for provisions related to data collection, with only 4 (18%) fully implementing all 3 requirements. Conclusions Although All Plan Letter 16-014 was successful in creating more comprehensive and consistent benefits across Managed Care plans, 95% of Managed Care plans have not fully implemented it. Further guidance from the Department of Health Care Services and integration with the California Smokers’ Helpline may be needed to achieve full implementation.

People who smoke are at increased risk of serious COVID-19-related disease but have had reduced access to cessation treatment during the pandemic. This study tested 2 approaches to promoting quitline services to Medicaid members who smoke at high rates: using COVID-19-specific messaging and offering free nicotine patches. The hypotheses were that both would increase enrollment.A California Medicaid mailing from October 2020 to January 2021 (N=7,489,093) included 4 versions of a flyer following a 2 × 2 design comparing generic with COVID-19-specific messaging and a no-patch with free-patch offer. The main outcome measure was quitline enrollments. Quit outcomes (attempted quitting, quit ≥7 days, quit ≥30 days) were assessed at 2 months. A subsequent free-patch offer was sent to all members (N=7,577,198) from April 2021 to June 2021. Data were collected in 2020-2021 and analyzed in 2022.The first mailing generated 1,753 enrollments. Response rates were 0.023% and 0.024% for generic and COVID-19-specific messaging, respectively (p=0.538), and 0.006% and 0.041% for no-patch and free-patch offers, respectively, the latter being 6.7 times more effective than the former (p0.0001). Quit outcomes were comparable across conditions. The subsequent free-patch offer generated 3,546 enrollments at $40.28 per enrollee.In a Medicaid mailing during COVID-19, offering free patches generated more than 6 times as many quitline enrollments as offering generic help. COVID-19-specific messaging was no more effective than generic messaging. Offering free patches was highly cost-effective. Medicaid programs partnering with quitlines should consider using similar strategies, especially during a pandemic when regular health care is disrupted.

Introduction Most smokers abstain from smoking during hospitalization but relapse upon discharge. This study tests the effectiveness of two proven treatments (i.e., nicotine patches and telephone counseling) in helping these patients stay quit after discharge from the hospital, and assesses a model of hospital−quitline partnership. Study design This study had a 2×2 factorial design in which participants were stratified by recruitment site and smoking rate and randomly assigned to usual care, nicotine patches only, counseling only, or patches plus counseling. They were evaluated at 2 and 6 months post-randomization. Setting/participants A total of 1,270 hospitalized adult smokers were recruited from August 2011 to November 2013 from five hospitals within three healthcare systems. Intervention Participants in the patch condition were provided 8 weeks of nicotine patches at discharge (or were mailed them post-discharge). Quitline staff started proactively calling participants in the counseling condition 3 days post-discharge to provide standard quitline counseling. Main outcome measures The primary outcome measure was self-reported 30-day abstinence at 6 months using an intention-to-treat analysis. Data were analyzed from September 2015 to May 2016. Results The 30-day abstinence rate at 6 months was 22.8% for the nicotine patch condition and 18.3% for the no-patch condition ( p =0.051). Nearly all participants (99%) in the patch condition were provided nicotine patches, although 36% were sent post-discharge. The abstinence rates were 20.0% and 21.1% for counseling and no counseling conditions, respectively ( p =0.651). Fewer than half of the participants in the counseling condition (47%) received counseling (mean follow-up sessions, 3.6). Conclusions Provision of nicotine patches proved feasible, although their effectiveness in helping discharged patients stay quit was not significant. Telephone counseling was not effective, in large part because of low rates of engagement. Future interventions will need to be more immediate to be effective. Trial Registration This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01289275.

Introduction Pregnant smokers are advised to quit; however, many struggle to do so. Behavioral counseling can increase quitting success, but the efficacy of telephone counseling for pregnant smokers has not been established. This study tests the efficacy of pregnancy-specific counseling, embedded in the ongoing operations of a state quitline. Design In this two-group RCT, participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (telephone counseling plus self-help materials, n =584) or the control group (self-help materials only, n =589). Setting/participants Participants were pregnant smokers (N=1,173) in the first 27 weeks of gestation who called a state quitline between September 2000 and May 2003 for help with quitting. Intervention The primary component of the intervention was telephone counseling using a semi-structured protocol developed specifically for pregnant smokers. It drew its basic structure and clinical content from a previously tested counseling protocol for adult quitline callers, while including pregnancy-specific content and additional counseling sessions (nine rather than the standard five). Main outcome measures Subjects were evaluated on prolonged abstinence at the third trimester (about 29 weeks' gestation) and at 2 and 6 months postpartum. Data were analyzed in 2015. Results Abstinence was higher for the intervention than the control group at the end of pregnancy (30-day abstinence, 29.6% vs 20.1%; p p p p Conclusions A pregnancy-specific counseling protocol, embedded in a state quitline, was effective in helping pregnant smokers quit and stay quit postpartum. Wide adoption of this intervention could help reduce the rate of maternal smoking and prevent its devastating health consequences. Trial Registration This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02144883.

Introduction Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) designs may be described as "closed" or "open." Closed systems are disposable or reloadable with prefilled cartridges (cigalikes). Open systems feature a prominent chamber (tank), refillable with e-liquid. This study examined user design preference and its association with smoking cessation. Methods A probability sample of current e-cigarette users ( n =923) among adult ever smokers ( n =6,560) in the U.S. was surveyed online between February 28 and March 31, 2014, and analyzed in September 2014. Photos of e-cigarette devices were presented alongside survey questions to facilitate respondents' understanding of the questions. Results Most e-cigarette users were exclusive users of one design: 51.4% used only closed systems and 41.1% used only open systems, with 7.4% using both. Former smokers were more likely to use open systems than current smokers (53.8% vs 35.2%, p =0.002). Current smokers who attempted to quit in the last 12 months were more likely to use open systems than those who did not (41.4% vs 27.7%, p =0.029). Open system users were more likely than closed system users to use e-cigarettes daily (50.2% vs 22.9%, p p p p =0.001). Conclusions Preference of e-cigarette design is associated with smoking cessation. A device's ability to deliver more nicotine and its flexibility in use might contribute to users' success in quitting smoking.

Author(s): Conway, Mike; Mowery, Danielle L; South, Brett R; Stoddard, Gregory J; Chapman, Wendy W; Patterson, Olga V; Zhu, Shu-Hong

Most smokers abstain from smoking during hospitalization but relapse upon discharge. This study tests the effectiveness of two proven treatments (i.e., nicotine patches and telephone counseling) in helping these patients stay quit after discharge from the hospital, and assesses a model of hospital-quitline partnership.This study had a 2×2 factorial design in which participants were stratified by recruitment site and smoking rate and randomly assigned to usual care, nicotine patches only, counseling only, or patches plus counseling. They were evaluated at 2 and 6 months post-randomization.A total of 1,270 hospitalized adult smokers were recruited from August 2011 to November 2013 from five hospitals within three healthcare systems.Participants in the patch condition were provided 8 weeks of nicotine patches at discharge (or were mailed them post-discharge). Quitline staff started proactively calling participants in the counseling condition 3 days post-discharge to provide standard quitline counseling.The primary outcome measure was self-reported 30-day abstinence at 6 months using an intention-to-treat analysis. Data were analyzed from September 2015 to May 2016.The 30-day abstinence rate at 6 months was 22.8% for the nicotine patch condition and 18.3% for the no-patch condition (p=0.051). Nearly all participants (99%) in the patch condition were provided nicotine patches, although 36% were sent post-discharge. The abstinence rates were 20.0% and 21.1% for counseling and no counseling conditions, respectively (p=0.651). Fewer than half of the participants in the counseling condition (47%) received counseling (mean follow-up sessions, 3.6).Provision of nicotine patches proved feasible, although their effectiveness in helping discharged patients stay quit was not significant. Telephone counseling was not effective, in large part because of low rates of engagement. Future interventions will need to be more immediate to be effective.This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT01289275.

Background Quitlines and other evidence-based cessation treatments are greatly underutilized by smokers, limiting their public health impact. Social support is correlated with successful cessation. Thus, efforts targeting the social network of smokers could be a potential avenue to promote quitline utilization. Purpose This study examined the efficacy of an intervention for nonsmokers interested in helping a smoker (i.e., support people) to promote smoker utilization of the Minnesota QUITPLAN® Helpline. Data were collected from 2007 to 2010, and analyses were conducted from 2010 to 2011. Design Two-group randomized design evaluating the support-person intervention (n=267) compared with a control condition (written materials, n=267). Setting/participants Enrolled were 534 support people (91% female, 93% Caucasian) residing in Minnesota. Intervention Written materials plus three weekly telephone sessions lasting 10–30 minutes each. Based on Cohen's theory of social support, the intervention provided participants with information and skills needed to encourage their smoker to call the QUITPLAN Helpline. Main outcome measures Participants completed the Support Provided Measure (SPM) by mail at baseline and Week 4 (end-of-treatment). Helpline intake staff documented smoker calls to the Helpline through 6 months of follow-up. Results The proportion of calls to the Helpline was significantly (p=0.012) greater for smokers linked to support people in the intervention group (16.1%, 43/267) than in the control group (8.6%, 23/267). The treatment effect remained significant after adjusting for support person residing with the smoker (OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.19, 3.49, p=0.010). Among support people randomly assigned to the intervention group, greater number of sessions completed was associated with increased smokers' calls to the Helpline (p=0.004). After adjusting for the baseline score, the M±SD SPM score at Week 4 was significantly higher for support people in the intervention group (16.4±3.3) than for those in the control group (15.3±3.6), p=0.002. Conclusions A support-person intervention is effective in increasing smoker utilization of the QUITPLAN Helpline. There is potential for increasing the reach of quitlines by targeting the social network of smokers. Trial registration # NCT01311830

Background Telephone quitlines are utilized by diverse individuals and represent an effective tobacco-cessation modality. Quitlines allow tobacco users to seek support for multiple quit attempts. Little is known about how frequently tobacco users take advantage of this opportunity. No studies have been conducted to determine how communication strategies affect quitline re-enrollments. This study aimed to determine the rates of quitline re-enrollment and to compare the responses of people of varying racial/ethnic identities to invitations utilizing different communication strategies. Design Four-cell RCT. Setting/ participants Random sample of 2400 tobacco users who enrolled into services during 2006, with oversampling of ethnic populations. Intervention Between November 2006 and January 2007, participants received either no invitation to re-enroll or were invited to re-enroll into services via a letter, a letter with ethnic-specific content, or a letter and a telephone call. Main outcome measures Re-enrollment into quitline services. Results Analysis of the 252 days prior to the intervention resulted in a spontaneous re-enrollment rate of 0.54% per 30 days. Recruitment using mailers did not significantly change this rate; the addition of telephone calls increased re-enrollment to 6.93% per 30 days. No significant differences were found among the subpopulations studied. Invalid addresses (16%); invalid telephone numbers (29.1%); and the inability to reach subjects after five call attempts (37.9%) were barriers to recruitment. Conclusions For those who have previously called quitlines for help, proactive re-enrollment can be one way to initiate a new quit attempt after relapse. This study has shown that it is feasible to re-enroll former quitline participants, making the test of effectiveness the next logical step.

Pregnant smokers are advised to quit; however, many struggle to do so. Behavioral counseling can increase quitting success, but the efficacy of telephone counseling for pregnant smokers has not been established. This study tests the efficacy of pregnancy-specific counseling, embedded in the ongoing operations of a state quitline.In this two-group RCT, participants were randomly assigned to the intervention (telephone counseling plus self-help materials, n=584) or the control group (self-help materials only, n=589).Participants were pregnant smokers (N=1,173) in the first 27 weeks of gestation who called a state quitline between September 2000 and May 2003 for help with quitting.The primary component of the intervention was telephone counseling using a semi-structured protocol developed specifically for pregnant smokers. It drew its basic structure and clinical content from a previously tested counseling protocol for adult quitline callers, while including pregnancy-specific content and additional counseling sessions (nine rather than the standard five).Subjects were evaluated on prolonged abstinence at the third trimester (about 29 weeks' gestation) and at 2 and 6 months postpartum. Data were analyzed in 2015.Abstinence was higher for the intervention than the control group at the end of pregnancy (30-day abstinence, 29.6% vs 20.1%; p0.001); 2 months postpartum (90-day abstinence, 22.1% vs 14.8%; p0.001); and 6 months postpartum (180-day abstinence, 14.4% vs 8.2%; p0.001). Cotinine-corrected (≤13 ng/mL) 7-day abstinence rates at the end of pregnancy supported the intervention effect (35.8% vs 22.5%, p0.001).A pregnancy-specific counseling protocol, embedded in a state quitline, was effective in helping pregnant smokers quit and stay quit postpartum. Wide adoption of this intervention could help reduce the rate of maternal smoking and prevent its devastating health consequences.This study is registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov NCT02144883.

Objective: To examine usage rates of smoking-cessation assistance and to compare the success rate of those who used assistance with the success rate of those who did not. Methods: The data come from the 1996 California Tobacco Survey, a random sample of 4480 individuals (18 years or older) who tried to quit smoking in the 12 months before the survey. We calculated population estimates for demographics, smoking histories, rate of using assistance, and abstinence rates. Results: One fifth (19.9%) of those who attempted to quit smoking used one or more forms of assistance: self-help, counseling, and/or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Heavy smokers were more likely to use assistance than were light smokers. Women were more likely to use assistance than were men, and usage increased with age. Whites were more likely to use NRT than were other ethnic groups. Overall, those who used assistance had a higher success rate than those who did not; the 12-month abstinence rates were 15.2% and 7.0%, respectively. Conclusions: Use of assistance for smoking cessation has increased over recent years, from 7.9% in 1986 to 19.9% in 1996. The use of assistance is associated with a greater success rate. Anti-tobacco campaigns in California and increased availability of multiple forms of assistance probably facilitated the use of assistance and successful quitting for those using assistance.

Quitlines and other evidence-based cessation treatments are greatly underutilized by smokers, limiting their public health impact. Social support is correlated with successful cessation. Thus, efforts targeting the social network of smokers could be a potential avenue to promote quitline utilization.This study examined the efficacy of an intervention for nonsmokers interested in helping a smoker (i.e., support people) to promote smoker utilization of the Minnesota QUITPLAN(®) Helpline. Data were collected from 2007 to 2010, and analyses were conducted from 2010 to 2011.Two-group randomized design evaluating the support-person intervention (n=267) compared with a control condition (written materials, n=267).Enrolled were 534 support people (91% female, 93% Caucasian) residing in Minnesota.Written materials plus three weekly telephone sessions lasting 10-30 minutes each. Based on Cohen's theory of social support, the intervention provided participants with information and skills needed to encourage their smoker to call the QUITPLAN Helpline.Participants completed the Support Provided Measure (SPM) by mail at baseline and Week 4 (end-of-treatment). Helpline intake staff documented smoker calls to the Helpline through 6 months of follow-up.The proportion of calls to the Helpline was significantly (p=0.012) greater for smokers linked to support people in the intervention group (16.1%, 43/267) than in the control group (8.6%, 23/267). The treatment effect remained significant after adjusting for support person residing with the smoker (OR=2.04, 95% CI=1.19, 3.49, p=0.010). Among support people randomly assigned to the intervention group, greater number of sessions completed was associated with increased smokers' calls to the Helpline (p=0.004). After adjusting for the baseline score, the M±SD SPM score at Week 4 was significantly higher for support people in the intervention group (16.4±3.3) than for those in the control group (15.3±3.6), p=0.002.A support-person intervention is effective in increasing smoker utilization of the QUITPLAN Helpline. There is potential for increasing the reach of quitlines by targeting the social network of smokers. TRIAL REGISTRATION #: NCT01311830.

Objective: To identify factors that predict quitting among adolescent smokers. Methods: Adolescent smokers aged 12–19 years ( N = 633) from the national Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey I (1989), were followed up in the Teenage Attitudes and Practices Survey II (1993). Multiple logistic regression was applied to identify the predictors of quitting. Results: A total of 15.6% of adolescent smokers had quit smoking at the follow-up survey four years later. There was no significant difference in the quit rate by age, gender, or ethnicity. Five baseline factors were identified in a multivariate analysis as significant predictors of quitting: frequency of smoking, length of past quit attempts, self-estimation of likelihood of continuing smoking, mother's smoking status, and depressive symptoms. The more risk factors the adolescents had, the less likely they would succeed in quitting. Conclusions: Quitting smoking by adolescents is influenced by multiple biological, behavioral, and psychosocial variables. Identifying these variables can help tailor cessation programs to more effectively help adolescents quit smoking.