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Although both varenicline and bupropion have been reported to be effective in terms of increasing the abstinence rate, while previous literature among adults reports better abstinence with varenicline compared to bupropion, our findings among obese smokers indicate no difference in abstinence for those using bupropion compared to those using varenicline.

This study aimed to examine racial/ethnic disparity in smoking cessation medication use among adult smokers in the United States using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data from 2009 to 2010 using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) data. Our finding identified the potential minority groups which had barrier to use smoking cessation medication and some other significant factors which were associated with smoking cessation medication use. Further research can be investigated to find the reasons for this disparity thus improving smoking cessation treatment outcome.

Background: Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of death and disability in both developed and developing countries and is expected to remain so in 2020. Our research team has collected and analyzed survey based data on smoking habits from several countries around the world including China, India, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan. Our objectives here are to identify correlates of cigarette smoking that are common across these countries. Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted among 3,658 participants from a convenience sample of adults from each country collected between 2008-2011. The survey included questions on socio-demographic characteristics, current and history of cigarette smoking, family and peer smoking, and perceived harm. Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of cigarette smoking in the past 24 hours as well as in the past month. Results: Approximately 40% of the sample had smoked a cigarette in the past day and 44% in the past month. Significant predictors included male gender, aged 25 years or more, lower education level and school performance, medical profession, dyspepsia, feeling lonely and bothered by events, using other tobacco products, alcohol use and family and friend smoking. Those who received anti-smoking messages from teachers in schools were less likely to be smokers. Conclusions: Results underscore the importance of teachers and school based anti-smoking programs in smoking prevention across cultures and highlights the prominence of social peer pressure and smoking family members as major predictors of smoking that must be incorporated in any tobacco prevention or cessation program.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: To examine smokers’ beliefs in potential effectiveness of available smoking cessation interventions in Jordan. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey-based study in a convenient sample of willing adults in Amman, Jordan (n=600) from 07/2009 to 07/2010. Participants who reported using a cigarette or a waterpipe to smoke tobacco in the past 30 days were considered current smokers and included in further analysis. Cigarette and waterpipe smoking were being analyzed separately with two outcomes for each smoking behavior: 1) believing smoking cessation medications are helpful in quitting vs. not, and 2) believing educational programs/counseling by healthcare providers are helpful vs. not. Multivarite logistic regression was used to determine participant characteristics associated with the defined outcomes. RESULTS: More smokers believed in the effectiveness of educational program as compared to the medications. Cigarette smokers who find it hard to abstain from smoking where they are not allowed to were more likely to believe cessation medications are helpful (OR=1.79, 95%CI= 1.01–3.15). Cigarette smokers with a lower education level (OR=0.33, 95%CI= 0.14–0.78), with a father who smokes (OR=0.39, 95%CI= 0.21–0.75), or who tried cigar smoking in the past month (OR=0.39, 95%CI= 0.18–0.86) were less likely to think educational programs are helpful. Waterpipe smokers who were older were less likely to believe cessation medications (OR=0.41, 95%CI= 0.17–0.99) and educational programs (OR=0.38, 95%CI= 0.18–0.80) are useful. Males (OR=6.07, 95%CI= 1.82–20.26) were more likely to believe cessation medications are helpful. Waterpipe smokers who have used cigar before (OR=0.16, 95%CI= 0.05–0.51) were less likes to perceive the effectiveness of medication. On the other hand, whose father is also a waterpipe smoker (OR=0.39, 95%CI= 0.17–0.89) was less likely to believe in educational programs. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding these opinions from a smoker’s perspective is important in designing culturally appropriate interventions to help smokers quit.

Background and Objectives: Waterpipe tobacco use is a popular trend in smoking with an unsubstantiated belief of safety. The objectives were to determine the predictors of waterpipe smoking among a sample of adults in Jordan. Methods: A survey based cross-sectional study was conducted in a convenience sample of adults in Amman, Jordan (n=600) from July/2009-July/2010. Survey questions included socio-demographic characteristics, current and history of tobacco smoking, environmental and behavioral determinants of smoking like family and peer tobacco use, and perceived harm. Three multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to determine predictors of waterpipe use with the following outcomes: past ever use of a waterpipe to smoke tobacco vs. no use, past 30-day use vs. no use, and past 7-day use vs. no use. Results: Past cigarette, past cigar, past alcohol use, having friends and/or siblings that use waterpipes were significant predictors of waterpipes smoking, while gender was not. Perception of harm equivalent to cigarettes or more was associated with less use. Conclusion: Findings underscore the importance of developing interventions that incorporate the predictors identified and address the social encouragement that spreads waterpipe tobacco use.

Background: Cigarette smoking is the highest ranked preventable cause of morbidity and mortality with a significant economic burden in China. The objectives of this study were to examine predictors of intention to quit smoking as well as predictors of previous attempts to quit smoking among a sample of Chinese adult smokers (n=351). Methods: A survey-based study was conducted by using a convenience sample of adults aged 18 years or older in China. Individuals who smoked at least one cigarette in the past 30 days were defined as smokers and considered as the study cohort. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to determine predictors of intention to quit smoking and previous attempts to quit smoking for three outcomes: intend to quit smoking in the next year vs. not, intend to quit smoking in the next 30 days vs. not, and previous attempts to quit smoking vs. not. All statistical analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.2 statistical package. Results: Majority of smokers reported attempts to quit smoking at least once in the past (60.4%). Nearly half of the smokers indicated an intention to quit smoking in the next year (46.4%), and 31.3% in the next 30 days. Significant predictors of intention to quit cigarette smoking included age, gender, peer pressure, duration of past attempt, sibling’s and close friend’s tobacco use, inhalation when smoking, and addictive level. Predictors of previous attempts to quit smoking included duration of past attempt. Conclusions: Findings suggest a high level of a previous quit attempt among smokers and somewhat high rate of intention to quit smoking in the future, underscoring the urgent need to develop effective interventions. Predictors associated with intention to quit smoking and previous attempts to quit smoking among Chinese adult smokers found in this study should be considered when designing interventions.

Background: Tobacco use remains the largest preventable cause of mortality and morbidity with a significant economic burden in China. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the prevalence of cigarette smoking among a sample of Chinese adults (n=710) and to examine predictors of cigarette smoking. Methods: A survey-based cross-sectional study was conducted among a convenience sample of adults aged 18 years or older in China. Individuals who smoked at least one cigarette in the past 30 days were defined as smokers and considered as the study cohort. Multivariate logistic regression models were constructed to determine predictors of cigarette smoking for three outcomes: past 30-day use vs. no use, past 7-day use vs. no use, and past 24-hour use vs. no use. All statistical analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.2 statistical package. Results: More than half of the population had used a cigarette in the past month (56.16%), 54.97% in the past 7 days, and almost half of the population in the past 24 hours (49.28%). Significant predictors of smoking status included gender (male), marital status (married), employment status (employed), educational level (less than high school degree), exposure to tobacco advertisements through media (TV), peer pressure (smoke if cigarettes offered by others), intention to smoke (try smoking in the next year), and a previous experience to use tobacco (tried cigar at least once during one’s lifetime). Conclusions: These findings underscore the magnitude of the smoking problem among Chinese adult smokers. Urgent measures are needed to effectively control the growing smoking epidemic. Future studies should focus on incorporating the identified factors when designing prevention and intervention strategies among Chinese adult smokers.