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Objective: Most smoking cessation studies have used long-term abstinence as their primary outcome measure. Recent research has suggested that long-term abstinence may be an insensitive index of important smoking cessation mechanisms. The goal of the current study was to examine the effects of 5 smoking cessation pharmacotherapies using Shiffman et al.'s (2006) approach of examining the effect of smoking cessation medications on 3 process markers of cessation or smoking cessation milestones: initial abstinence, lapse, and the lapse-relapse transition. Method: The current study (N = 1,504; 58.2% female and 41.8% male; 83.9% Caucasian, 13.6% African American, 2.5% other races) examined the effect of 5 smoking cessation pharmacotherapy treatments versus placebo (bupropion, nicotine lozenge, nicotine patch, bupropion + lozenge, patch + lozenge) on Shiffman et al.'s smoking cessation milestones over 8 weeks following a quit attempt. Results: Results show that all 5 medication conditions decreased rates of failure to achieve initial abstinence and most (with the exception of the nicotine lozenge) decreased lapse risk; however, only the nicotine patch and bupropion + lozenge conditions affected the lapse-relapse transition. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that medications are effective at aiding initial abstinence and decreasing lapse risk but that they generally do not decrease relapse risk following a lapse. The analysis of cessation milestones sheds light on important impediments to long-term smoking abstinence, suggests potential mechanisms of action of smoking cessation pharmacotherapies, and identifies targets for future treatment development. (Contains 3 figures, 3 footnotes and 2 tables.)

Aims: To understand dual users' cigarette and e‐cigarette use patterns, including the contexts in which they vape versus smoke and to understand how environmental and internal contexts and smoking patterns differ between dual users and exclusive smokers. Design Longitudinal observational trial. Setting: Research center in Wisconsin, USA. Participants: Adult dual users (n = 162) and adults who exclusively smoked (n = 143), with no plans to quit smoking or vaping in the next 30 days. Measurements Participants carried smartphones for 2 weeks at baseline to record each use event for the two products and report on the context of their product use. The percentage of mornings where participants vaped first versus smoked were used to compute e‐cigarette dependence. Findings Hierarchical linear regression models with random slopes and intercepts examined the within‐ and between‐subject effects of context on the likelihood of vaping (versus smoking); significant fixed effects were tested for moderation by e‐cigarette dependence. Dual users reported significantly more puffs/cigarette [mean = 13.1, standard deviation (SD) = 10.2] than puffs/vape event (mean = 11.7, SD = 11.5; P = 0.01). E‐cigarette dependence moderated the influence of social cues (t‐ratio = 2.4, P = 0.02) and smoking restrictions (t‐ratio = 3.1, P = 0.003) on the likelihood of vaping versus smoking [odds ratio (OR) = 2.30, P = 0.02]. Context was more related to which product was used in those of low versus higher e‐cigarette dependence. Reports of strong cravings to smoke and positive expectancies for cigarettes were associated with a reduced likelihood of vaping, whereas strong cravings to vape and positive vaping expectancies were related to increased likelihood of vaping. Conclusions: Among dual users of cigarettes and e‐cigarettes with no motivation to quit, vaping appears to be related to internal cues and more highly linked with social contexts and smoking restrictions (i.e. under stronger external stimulus control) among those with low to moderate e‐cigarette dependence compared with high e‐cigarette dependence. These findings illustrate the importance of contextual factors in tobacco product use among dual users with the influence of context being reduced at high levels of e‐cigarette dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To assess the effectiveness of intervention components designed to increase quit attempts and promote abstinence in patients initially unwilling to quit smoking. Design A four‐factor, randomized factorial experiment. Setting: Sixteen primary care clinics in southern Wisconsin. Participants: A total of 577 adults who smoke (60% women, 80% White) recruited during primary care visits who were currently willing to reduce their smoking but unwilling to try to quit. Interventions Four factors contrasted intervention components administered over a 1‐year period: (i) nicotine mini‐lozenge versus none; (ii) reduction counseling versus none; (iii) behavioral activation (BA) counseling versus none; and (iv) motivational 5Rs counseling versus none. Participants could request cessation treatment at any time. Measurements The primary outcome was 7‐day point‐prevalence abstinence at 52 weeks post enrollment; secondary outcomes were point‐prevalence abstinence at 26 weeks and making a quit attempt by weeks 26 and 52. Findings No abstinence main effects were found but a mini‐lozenge × reduction counseling × BA interaction was found at 52 weeks; P = 0.03. Unpacking this interaction showed that the mini‐lozenge alone produced the highest abstinence rate (16.7%); combining it with reduction counseling produced an especially low abstinence rate (4.1%). Reduction counseling decreased the likelihood of making a quit attempt by 52 weeks relative to no reduction counseling (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Nicotine mini‐lozenges may increase smoking abstinence in people initially unwilling to quit smoking, but their effectiveness declines when used with smoking reduction counseling or other behavioral interventions. Reduction counseling decreases the likelihood of making a quit attempt in people initially unwilling to quit smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The phase‐based model of smoking cessation treatment suggests that treatment needs may vary across phases (e.g. pre‐cessation, cessation). This study tested the comparative effects of varenicline and combination nicotine replacement therapy (C‐NRT) relative to nicotine patch monotherapy on pre‐cessation and cessation phase candidate withdrawal, expectancy and motivation mediators; relations between mediators and abstinence; and indirect effects of enhanced treatments on abstinence via candidate mediators. Design Secondary mediation analysis of data from the open‐label, randomized Wisconsin Smokers' Health Study 2, a comparative effectiveness trial of varenicline or C‐NRT, versus patch monotherapy, in adults who smoked, recruited via media and community outreach. Setting: Research clinics in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Participants: A total of 1051 daily smokers motivated to quit smoking (52.5% female; mean age = 48.1, standard deviation = 11.6). Interventions: Twelve weeks of varenicline (n = 407) or 12 weeks of combination nicotine patch and nicotine lozenge therapy (n = 421), both compared with 12 weeks of patch control condition (n = 230), with individual smoking cessation counseling. Measurements The primary abstinence outcome was biochemically verified 7‐day point‐prevalence abstinence 4 weeks post‐target quit day (TQD). Candidate mediators (craving, positive smoking expectancies, withdrawal symptoms, and quitting motivation) were assessed via ecological momentary assessment from 1 week prior (pre‐cessation phase) to 4 weeks after (cessation phase) the TQD. Findings Pre‐cessation and cessation mean levels and slopes of craving [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.34–0.79], smoking expectancies (aOR = 0.46–0.79) and quitting motivation (aOR = 1.35–7.21) significantly predicted 4‐week post‐TQD abstinence (P < 0.05). Significant varenicline mediation occurred via greater suppression in pre‐cessation craving [mediated effect (ab) = 0.09, standard error (SE) = 0.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.04–0.14] and smoking expectancies (ab = 0.06, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.02–0.12). C‐NRT mediation occurred via greater reduction in pre–post‐TQD changes in craving (ab = 0.04, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.01–0.08) and expectancies (ab = 0.03, SE = 0.02, 95% CI = 0.001–0.07), relative to patch monotherapy. Conclusion: Among adult smokers seeking to quit, varenicline seems to work through its effects on suppression of craving and smoking expectancies pre‐cessation while combination nicotine replacement therapy mediation seems to work through cessation‐related reduction in craving and smoking expectancies changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To identify when smoking cessation treatments affect craving, negative affect and anhedonia, and how these symptoms relate to abstinence, to help evaluate the effects of particular intervention components in multi‐component treatments and accelerate treatment refinement. Design Secondary analysis of data from a two‐arm randomized controlled trial. Setting: Seven primary care clinics in Wisconsin, United States. Participants: Adult primary care patients who smoked daily (n = 574). Intervention and comparator: Intervention was abstinence‐optimized treatment (A‐OT, n = 276) comprising 3 weeks of nicotine mini‐lozenges pre‐target quit day (TQD), 26 weeks of combination nicotine patch and mini‐lozenges post‐TQD and extensive psychosocial support. The comparator was recommended usual care (RUC, n = 298), comprising brief counseling and 8 weeks of nicotine patch post‐TQD. Measurements Time‐varying effect models examined dynamic effects of A‐OT (versus RUC) on the primary outcomes of nightly cigarette craving, negative affect and anhedonia from 1 week pre‐ to 2 weeks post‐TQD. Exploratory models examined within‐person relations between nicotine medication use and same‐day symptom ratings. Secondary logistic regression analyses examined associations between post‐TQD craving, negative affect and anhedonia and 1‐month post‐TQD abstinence. Findings A‐OT significantly suppressed pre‐ and post‐TQD craving (β = −0.27 to −0.46 across days) and post‐TQD anhedonia (β = −0.24 to −0.38 across days), relative to RUC. Within individuals, using patches was associated with lower negative affect in RUC (β = −0.42 to −0.52), but not in A‐OT. Using more mini‐lozenges was associated with greater craving (β = 0.04–0.07) and negative affect (β = 0.03–0.05) early, and with lower anhedonia (β = −0.06 to −0.12) later. Greater post‐TQD craving (OR = 0.68) and anhedonia (OR = 0.85) predicted lower odds of abstinence 1 month post‐TQD. Conclusion: Time‐varying effect models showed that a multi‐component treatment intervention for smoking cessation suppressed significant withdrawal symptoms more effectively than recommended usual care among daily adult smokers motivated to quit. The intervention reduced craving pre‐ and post‐target quit day (TQD) and anhedonia post‐TQD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have drastically changed the nicotine and tobacco product landscape. However, their potential public health impact is still unclear. A reliable and valid measure of e-cigarette dependence would likely advance assessment and prognostication of the public health impact of e-cigarettes. The aim of this research was to examine the internal consistency, structure, and validity of three e-cigarette dependence scales.Methods: Adult dual users (smokers who also vape, N = 256) enrolled in an observational cohort study (45.1% women, 70.7% white). At baseline, participants completed the e-cigarette Fagerström Test of Cigarette Dependence (e-FTCD), the e-cigarette Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (e-WISDM), and the Penn State Electronic Cigarette Dependence Index (PS-ECDI). All participants provided a urine sample for cotinine analysis and reported e-cigarette use at 1 year.Results: The e-WISDM subscales had the highest internal consistency (α = .81-.96), then the PS-ECDI (α = .74) and e-FTCD (α = .51). A single-factor structure for the e-FTCD and an 11-factor structure for the e-WISDM were supported, but the PS-ECDI did not have a single-factor structure. All three e-cigarette dependence scales were highly correlated with validation criteria including continued e-cigarette use at 1 year, but not with e-liquid nicotine concentration or cotinine.Conclusions: The e-WISDM and PS-ECDI had stronger internal consistency than did the e-FTCD, despite the e-FTCD's single-factor structure, but all 3 measures appear to be valid measures of e-cigarette dependence as suggested by their significant relations with self-perceived addiction, heavy use, early use after overnight deprivation, and continued use over time.Implications: This research provides empirical support for three e-cigarette dependence measures: the e-FTCD, the PS-ECDI, and the e-WISDM among dual users of e-cigarettes and combustible cigarettes. The PS-ECDI and e-WISDM are more reliable, but all three measures were strongly correlated with key dependence constructs such as heavy use and continued use over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Smokers' social networks vary in size, composition, and amount of exposure to smoking. The extent to which smokers' social networks change after a quit attempt is unknown, as is the relation between quitting success and later network changes.Methods: Unique types of social networks for 691 smokers enrolled in a smoking-cessation trial were identified based on network size, new network members, members' smoking habits, within network smoking, smoking buddies, and romantic partners' smoking. Latent transition analysis was used to identify the network classes and to predict transitions in class membership across 3 years from biochemically assessed smoking abstinence.Results: Five network classes were identified: Immersed (large network, extensive smoking exposure including smoking buddies), Low Smoking Exposure (large network, minimal smoking exposure), Smoking Partner (small network, smoking exposure primarily from partner), Isolated (small network, minimal smoking exposure), and Distant Smoking Exposure (small network, considerable nonpartner smoking exposure). Abstinence at years 1 and 2 was associated with shifts in participants' social networks to less contact with smokers and larger networks in years 2 and 3.Conclusions: In the years following a smoking-cessation attempt, smokers' social networks changed, and abstinence status predicted these changes. Networks defined by high levels of exposure to smokers were especially associated with continued smoking. Abstinence, however, predicted transitions to larger social networks comprising less smoking exposure. These results support treatments that aim to reduce exposure to smoking cues and smokers, including partners who smoke.Implications: Prior research has shown that social network features predict the likelihood of subsequent smoking cessation. The current research illustrates how successful quitting predicts social network change over 3 years following a quit attempt. Specifically, abstinence predicts transitions to networks that are larger and afford less exposure to smokers. This suggests that quitting smoking may expand a person's social milieu rather than narrow it. This effect, plus reduced exposure to smokers, may help sustain abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims A chronic care strategy could potentially enhance the reach and effectiveness of smoking treatment by providing effective interventions for all smokers, including those who are initially unwilling to quit. This paper describes the conceptual bases of a National Cancer Institute-funded research program designed to develop an optimized, comprehensive, chronic care smoking treatment. Methods This research is grounded in three methodological approaches: (1) the Phase-Based Model, which guides the selection of intervention components to be experimentally evaluated for the different phases of smoking treatment (motivation, preparation, cessation, and maintenance); (2) the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST), which guides the screening of intervention components via efficient experimental designs and, ultimately, the assembly of promising components into an optimized treatment package; and (3) pragmatic research methods, such as electronic health record recruitment, that facilitate the efficient translation of research findings into clinical practice. Using this foundation and working in primary care clinics, we conducted three factorial experiments (reported in three accompanying papers) to screen 15 motivation, preparation, cessation and maintenance phase intervention components for possible inclusion in a chronic care smoking treatment program. Results This research identified intervention components with relatively strong evidence of effectiveness at particular phases of smoking treatment and it demonstrated the efficiency of the MOST approach in terms both of the number of intervention components tested and of the richness of the information yielded. Conclusions A new, synthesized research approach efficiently evaluates multiple intervention components to identify promising components for every phase of smoking treatment. Many intervention components interact with one another, supporting the use of factorial experiments in smoking treatment development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To screen promising intervention components designed to reduce smoking and promote abstinence in smokers initially unwilling to quit. Design A balanced, four-factor, randomized factorial experiment. Setting Eleven primary care clinics in southern Wisconsin, USA. Participants A total of 517 adult smokers (63.4% women, 91.1% white) recruited during primary care visits who were willing to reduce their smoking but not quit. Interventions Four factors contrasted intervention components designed to reduce smoking and promote abstinence: (1) nicotine patch versus none; (2) nicotine gum versus none; (3) motivational interviewing (MI) versus none; and (4) behavioral reduction counseling (BR) versus none. Participants could request cessation treatment at any point during the study. Measurements The primary outcome was percentage change in cigarettes smoked per day at 26 weeks post-study enrollment; the secondary outcomes were percentage change at 12 weeks and point-prevalence abstinence at 12 and 26 weeks post-study enrollment. Findings There were few main effects, but a significant four-way interaction at 26 weeks post-study enrollment ( P = 0.01, β = 0.12) revealed relatively large smoking reductions by two component combinations: nicotine gum combined with BR and BR combined with MI. Further, BR improved 12-week abstinence rates ( P = 0.04), and nicotine gum, when used without MI, increased 26-week abstinence after a subsequent aided quit attempt ( P = 0.01). Conclusions Motivation-phase nicotine gum and behavioral reduction counseling are promising intervention components for smokers who are initially unwilling to quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim s To identify promising intervention components intended to help smokers to attain and maintain abstinence in their quit smoking attempts. Design A fully crossed, six-factor randomized fractional factorial experiment. Setting Eleven primary care clinics in southern Wisconsin, USA. Participants A total of 637 adult smokers (55% women, 88% white) motivated to quit smoking who visited primary care clinics. Interventions Six intervention components designed to prepare smokers to quit, and achieve and maintain abstinence (i.e. for the preparation, cessation and maintenance phases of smoking treatment): (1) preparation nicotine patch versus none; (2) preparation nicotine gum versus none; (3) preparation counseling versus none; (4) intensive cessation in-person counseling versus minimal; (5) intensive cessation telephone counseling versus minimal; and (6) 16 versus 8 weeks of combination nicotine replacement therapy (nicotine patch + nicotine gum). Measurements Seven-day self-reported point-prevalence abstinence at 16 weeks. Findings Preparation counseling significantly improved week 16 abstinence rates ( P = .04), while both forms of preparation nicotine replacement therapy interacted synergistically with intensive cessation in-person counseling ( P < 0.05). Conversely, intensive cessation phone counseling and intensive cessation in-person counseling interacted antagonistically ( P < 0.05)-these components produced higher abstinence rates by themselves than in combination. Conclusions Preparation counseling and the combination of intensive cessation in-person counseling with preparation nicotine gum or patch are promising intervention components for smoking and should be evaluated as an integrated treatment package. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To identify promising intervention components that help smokers attain and maintain abstinence during a quit attempt. Design A 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 randomized factorial experiment. Setting Eleven primary care clinics in Wisconsin, USA. Participants A total of 544 smokers (59% women, 86% white) recruited during primary care visits and motivated to quit. Interventions Five intervention components designed to help smokers attain and maintain abstinence: (1) extended medication (26 versus 8 weeks of nicotine patch + nicotine gum); (2) maintenance (phone) counseling versus none; (3) medication adherence counseling versus none; (4) automated (medication) adherence calls versus none; and (5) electronic medication monitoring with feedback and counseling versus electronic medication monitoring alone. Measurements The primary outcome was 7-day self-reported point-prevalence abstinence 1 year after the target quit day. Findings Only extended medication produced a main effect. Twenty-six versus 8 weeks of medication improved point-prevalence abstinence rates (43 versus 34% at 6 months; 34 versus 27% at 1 year; P = 0.01 for both). There were four interaction effects at 1 year, showing that an intervention component's effectiveness depended upon the components with which it was combined. Conclusions Twenty-six weeks of nicotine patch + nicotine gum (versus 8 weeks) and maintenance counseling provided by phone are promising intervention components for the cessation and maintenance phases of smoking treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To assess the relations of menthol cigarette use with measures of cessation success in a large comparative effectiveness trial ( CET). Design Participants were randomized to one of six medication treatment conditions in a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. All participants received six individual counseling sessions. Setting Community-based smokers in two communities in Wisconsin, USA. Participants A total of 1504 adult smokers who smoked at least 10 cigarettes per day during the past 6 months and reported being motivated to quit smoking. The analysis sample comprised 1439 participants: 814 white non-menthol smokers, 439 white menthol smokers and 186 African American ( AA) menthol smokers. There were too few AA non-menthol smokers ( n = 16) to be included in the analyses. Interventions Nicotine lozenge, nicotine patch, bupropion sustained release, nicotine patch + nicotine lozenge, bupropion + nicotine lozenge and placebo. Measurements Biochemically confirmed 7-day point-prevalence abstinence assessed at 4, 8 and 26 weeks post-quit. Findings In longitudinal abstinence analyses (generalized estimating equations) controlling for cessation treatment, menthol smoking was associated with reduced likelihood of smoking cessation success relative to non-menthol smoking [model-based estimates of abstinence = 31 versus 38%, respectively; odds ratio ( OR) = 0.71, 95% confidence interval ( CI) = 0.59, 0.86]. In addition, among menthol smokers, AA women were at especially high risk of cessation failure relative to white women (estimated abstinence = 17 versus 35%, respectively; OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.75, 3.96; estimated abstinence rates for AA males and white males were both 30%, OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 0.60, 1.66). Conclusion In the United States, smoking menthol cigarettes appears to be associated with reduced cessation success compared with non-menthol smoking, especially in African American females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the results of a randomized trial comparing a novel smoking cessation treatment Mindfulness Training for Smokers (MTS) to a usual care therapy (Controls), which included the availability of a tobacco quit line and nicotine patches. Data were collected from 196 low socioeconomic status smokers in 2010-2011 in Madison, Wisconsin. Participants were randomized to either MTS or a telephonic quit line. The primary outcome was 6-month smoking abstinence measured by carbon monoxide breath testing and Time-Line Follow-Back. Among treatment initiators (randomized participants who participated in the intervention), abstinence rates were significantly different between the MTS (38.7%) and control (20.6%, p = .05) groups. Study limitations are also discussed. Results suggest that further study is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Fax referral programs quickly and economically can link smokers'' visiting primary care clinics to state-based telephone quitlines. Yet, it is unclear how to optimize use of this strategy. Purpose: To evaluate the potential of enhanced academic detailing in clinics (i.e., on-site training, technical assistance, and performance feedback) to boost utilization of a fax referral program called Fax to Quit. Design: Participants were randomized to one of two intervention conditions. Setting/participants: Participants were drawn from 49 primary care clinics in southeastern Wisconsin. The sample size was based on a power analysis in which the control intervention condition was estimated to generate 0.5 referrals/clinic/month and the experimental condition 2.0 referrals/clinic/month. Interventions: One of two fax referral program interventions was administered: the control condition Fax to Quit–Only (F2Q-Only) or the experimental condition Fax to Quit plus Enhanced Academic Detailing (F2Q+EAD). Main outcome measures: Clinic- and clinician-specific referral and quality referral rates (those resulting in quitline enrollment) were measured for 13 months post-intervention, starting in March 2009. Results: Mean number of post-intervention referrals/clinician to the Wisconsin Tobacco Quitline was 5.6 times greater for F2Q+EAD (8.5, SD=7.0) compared to F2Q-Only (1.6, SD=3.6, p<0.001). The F2Q+EAD (4.8, SD=4.1) condition produced a greater mean number of quality referrals/clinician than did the F2Q-Only (0.86, SD=1.8, p<0.001) condition. Data were analyzed in 2010. Conclusions: Enhanced academic detailing, which included on-site training, technical assistance, and performance feedback, increased the number of referrals more than fivefold over a fax referral program implemented without such enhanced academic detailing. Trial registration: This study is registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00989755. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) data from smokers trying to quit to assess relations among coping, positive affect, negative affect and smoking. The effects of stress coping on affect and smoking were examined. Data from a randomized clinical trial of smoking cessation treatments were submitted to multi-level modeling to test the effects of coping with stressful events on subsequent affect and smoking. Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention, Madison, Wisconsin. A total of 372 adult daily smokers who reported at least one stressful event and coping episode and provided post-quit data. Participants' smoking, coping and affect were assessed in near real time with multiple EMA reports using electronic diaries pre- and post-quit. Multi-level models indicated that a single coping episode did not predict a change in smoking risk over the next 4 or 48 hours, but coping in men was associated with concurrent reports of increased smoking. Coping predicted improved positive and negative affect reported within 4 hours of coping, but these affective gains did not predict reduced likelihood of later smoking. Pre-quit coping frequency and gender moderated post-quit stress coping relations with later positive affect. Men and those with greater pre-quit coping frequency reported greater gains in positive affect following post-quit coping. Coping responses early in a quit attempt may help smokers trying to quit feel better, but may not help them stay smoke-free. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. We examined whether the impact of televised smoking cessation ads differed by a population's education and income. Methods. We used longitudinal data from the Wisconsin Behavioral Health Survey, a statewide sample of 452 adult smokers who were interviewed in 2003 to 2004 and followed up 1 year later. Logistic regression was used to assess whether baseline recall of secondhand smoke ads and "keep trying to quit" ads was associated with quit attempts and smoking abstinence at 1 year. Interaction terms were used to assess whether these associations differed by the smokers' education and income levels. Results. Overall, neither keep-trying-to-quit nor secondhand smoke ad recall was associated with quit attempts or smoking abstinence. Keep-trying-to-quit ads were significantly more effective in promoting quit attempts among higher- versus lower-educated populations. No differences were observed for secondhand smoke ads by the smokers' education or income levels. Conclusions. Some media campaign messages appear less effective in promoting quit attempts among less-educated populations compared with those who have more education. There is a need to develop media campaigns that are more effective with less-educated smokers. (Am J Public Health. 2008;98:916-924. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2007.117499) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dependence construct fills an important explanatory role in motivational accounts of smoking and relapse. Frequently used measures of dependence are either atheoretical or grounded in a unidimensional model of physical dependence. This research creates a multidimensional measure of dependence that is based on theoretically grounded motives for drug use and is intended to reflect mechanisms underlying dependence. Data collected from a large sample of smokers (N = 775) indicated that all 13 subscales of the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68) have acceptable internal consistency, are differentially present across levels of smoking heaviness, and have a multidimensional structure. Validity analyses indicated the WISDM-68 subscales are significantly related to dependence criteria such as smoking heaviness and to 4th edition Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders symptoms of dependence and relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking reduction treatment is a promising approach to increase abstinence amongst smokers initially unwilling to quit. However, little is known about which reduction treatment elements increase quit attempts and the uptake of cessation treatment amongst such smokers.Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of a 4-factor randomized factorial experiment conducted amongst primary care patients (N = 517) presenting for regular healthcare visits in Southern Wisconsin who were unwilling to quit smoking but willing to cut down. We evaluated the main and interactive effects of Motivation-phase intervention components on whether participants: 1) made a quit attempt (intentional abstinence ≥24 h) by 6- and 26-weeks post-study enrollment and, 2) used cessation treatment. We also evaluated the relations of quit attempts with abstinence. The four intervention components evaluated were: 1) Nicotine Patch vs. None; 2) Nicotine Gum vs. None; 3) Motivational Interviewing (MI) vs. None; and 4) Behavioral Reduction Counseling (BR) vs. None. Intervention components were administered over 6 weeks, with an option to repeat treatment; participants could request cessation treatment at any point.Results: Nicotine gum significantly increased the likelihood of making a quit attempt by 6 weeks (23% vs. 15% without gum; p < .05). Conversely, nicotine patch reduced quit attempts when used with BR. Patch also discouraged use of cessation treatment (15.8% vs. 23% without patch; p < .05). Aided vs. unaided quit attempts produced abstinence in 42% vs. 10% of participants, respectively.Conclusion: Nicotine gum is a promising Motivation-phase intervention that may spur quit attempts amongst smokers initially unwilling to quit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal smoking increases mortality and morbidity risks for both mother and infant. The First Breath Wisconsin study examined the cost-effectiveness of providing incentives to pregnant women who smoked to engage in stop smoking treatment. Participants (N = 1014) were Medicaid-enrolled pregnant women recruited from September 2012 to April 2015 through public health departments, private, and community health clinics in Wisconsin. The incentive group (n = 505) could receive $460 for completing pre-birth visits ($25 each), post-birth home visits ($40, $25, $25, $40 for 1-week, 2-month, 4-month and 6-month visits), monthly smoking cessation phone calls post-birth ($20 each), and biochemically-verified tobacco abstinence at 1-week ($40) and 6-months ($40) post-birth. The control group (n = 509) received up to $80 for 1-week ($40) and 6-month ($40) post-birth assessments. Intervention costs included incentive payments to participants, counselor and administrative staff time, and smoking cessation medications. Cost-effectiveness analysis calculated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per one additional smoker who quit. The incentive group had higher 6-month post-birth biochemically-confirmed tobacco abstinence than the control group (14.7% vs. 9.2%). Incremental costs averaged $184 per participant for the incentive group compared to controls ($317 vs $133). The ICER of financial incentives was $3399 (95% CI $2228 to $8509) per additional woman who was tobacco abstinent at 6 months post-birth. The ICER was lower ($2518 vs $4760) for women who did not live with another smoker. This study shows use of financial incentives for stop smoking treatment is a cost-effective option for low-income pregnant women who smoke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Available evidence is mixed concerning associations between smoking status and COVID-19 clinical outcomes. Effects of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and vaccination status on COVID-19 outcomes in smokers are unknown., Methods: Electronic health record data from 104 590 COVID-19 patients hospitalized February 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021 in 21 U.S. health systems were analyzed to assess associations of smoking status, in-hospital NRT prescription, and vaccination status with in-hospital death and ICU admission., Results: Current (n = 7764) and never smokers (n = 57 454) did not differ on outcomes after adjustment for age, sex, race, ethnicity, insurance, body mass index, and comorbidities. Former (vs never) smokers (n = 33 101) had higher adjusted odds of death (aOR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06-1.17) and ICU admission (aOR, 1.07; 95% CI, 1.04-1.11). Among current smokers, NRT prescription was associated with reduced mortality (aOR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.50-0.82). Vaccination effects were significantly moderated by smoking status; vaccination was more strongly associated with reduced mortality among current (aOR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.16-0.66) and former smokers (aOR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.39-0.57) than for never smokers (aOR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.57, 0.79). Vaccination was associated with reduced ICU admission more strongly among former (aOR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.66-0.83) than never smokers (aOR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.79-0.97)., Conclusions: Former but not current smokers hospitalized with COVID-19 are at higher risk for severe outcomes. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination is associated with better hospital outcomes in COVID-19 patients, especially current and former smokers. NRT during COVID-19 hospitalization may reduce mortality for current smokers., Implications: Prior findings regarding associations between smoking and severe COVID-19 disease outcomes have been inconsistent. This large cohort study suggests potential beneficial effects of nicotine replacement therapy on COVID-19 outcomes in current smokers and outsized benefits of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination in current and former smokers. Such findings may influence clinical practice and prevention efforts and motivate additional research that explores mechanisms for these effects., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco.)

Background: There is mixed evidence about the relations of current versus past cancer with severe COVID-19 outcomes and how they vary by patient and cancer characteristics., Methods: Electronic health record data of 104,590 adult hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were obtained from 21 United States health systems from February 2020 through September 2021. In-hospital mortality and ICU admission were predicted from current and past cancer diagnoses. Moderation by patient characteristics, vaccination status, cancer type, and year of the pandemic was examined., Results: 6.8% of the patients had current (n = 7,141) and 6.5% had past (n = 6,749) cancer diagnoses. Current cancer predicted both severe outcomes but past cancer did not; adjusted odds ratios (aOR) for mortality were 1.58 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.46-1.70] and 1.04 (95% CI, 0.96-1.13), respectively. Mortality rates decreased over the pandemic but the incremental risk of current cancer persisted, with the increment being larger among younger vs. older patients. Prior COVID-19 vaccination reduced mortality generally and among those with current cancer (aOR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.53-0.90)., Conclusions: Current cancer, especially among younger patients, posed a substantially increased risk for death and ICU admission among patients with COVID-19; prior COVID-19 vaccination mitigated the risk associated with current cancer. Past history of cancer was not associated with higher risks for severe COVID-19 outcomes for most cancer types., Impact: This study clarifies the characteristics that modify the risk associated with cancer on severe COVID-19 outcomes across the first 20 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. See related commentary by Egan et al., p. 3., (©2022 The Authors; Published by the American Association for Cancer Research.)

Importance: Smoking cessation medications are routinely used in health care. Research suggests that combining varenicline with the nicotine patch, extending the duration of varenicline treatment, or both, may increase cessation effectiveness., Objective: To compare combinations of varenicline plus the nicotine or placebo patch vs combinations used for either 12 weeks (standard duration) or 24 weeks (extended duration)., Design, Settings, and Participants: Double-blind, 2 × 2 factorial randomized clinical trial conducted from November 11, 2017, to July 9, 2020, at 1 research clinic in Madison, Wisconsin, and at 1 clinic in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Of the 5836 adults asked to participate in the study, 1251 who smoked 5 cigarettes/d or more were randomized., Interventions: All participants received cessation counseling and were randomized to 1 of 4 medication groups: varenicline monotherapy for 12 weeks (n = 315), varenicline plus nicotine patch for 12 weeks (n = 314), varenicline monotherapy for 24 weeks (n = 311), or varenicline plus nicotine patch for 24 weeks (n = 311)., Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was carbon monoxide-confirmed self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 52 weeks., Results: Among 1251 patients who were randomized (mean [SD] age, 49.1 [11.9] years; 675 [54.0%] women), 751 (60.0%) completed treatment and 881 (70.4%) provided final follow-up. For the primary outcome, there was no significant interaction between the 2 treatment factors of medication type and medication duration (odds ratio [OR], 1.03 [95% CI, 0.91 to 1.17]; P = .66). For patients randomized to 24-week vs 12-week treatment duration, the primary outcome occurred in 24.8% (154/622) vs 24.3% (153/629), respectively (risk difference, -0.4% [95% CI, -5.2% to 4.3%]; OR, 1.01 [95% CI, 0.89 to 1.15]). For patients randomized to varenicline combination therapy vs varenicline monotherapy, the primary outcome occurred in 24.3% (152/625) vs 24.8% (155/626), respectively (risk difference, 0.4% [95% CI, -4.3% to 5.2%]; OR, 0.99 [95% CI, 0.87 to 1.12]). Nausea occurrence ranged from 24.0% to 30.9% and insomnia occurrence ranged from 24.4% to 30.5% across the 4 groups., Conclusions and Relevance: Among adults smoking 5 cigarettes/d or more, there were no significant differences in 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 52 weeks among those treated with combined varenicline plus nicotine patch therapy vs varenicline monotherapy, or among those treated for 24 weeks vs 12 weeks. These findings do not support the use of combined therapy or of extended treatment duration., Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03176784.

The assessment of tobacco withdrawal is important for both research and clinical purposes. This study describes the psychometric development of a revised version of the 28-item Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (WSWS; Welsch et al., Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology , 1999, 7, p. 354). Because the different contexts of use sometimes permit only brief assessment, this revision has produced both a brief and longer form using an updated pool of candidate items. For the revised Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale 2 (WSWS2), a candidate pool of 37 items was developed to measure nine putative withdrawal constructs. The stem and wording of items were revised as was the response scale. Data for psychometric analyses were derived from three smoking cessation randomized clinical trials conducted at the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Intervention. Dimensionality, internal consistency, and item characteristic analyses of the candidate items were conducted in a derivation sample to ascertain the factor structure and to identify items that could be used in the WSWS2 scales. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) of reduced item sets and factor structure were conducted in two validation samples along with reliability and validity analyses. Derivation and validation sample analyses yielded a longer version of the WSWS2 (WSWS2-L) with 19 items and six subscales (Craving, Negative Affect, Hunger, Sleep, Restlessness, and Concentration) and a brief 6-item version (WSWS2-B). In validation sample analyses, both the WSWS2-L and the WSWS2-B demonstrated good reliability and validity as well as good fit in CFAs. The WSWS2-L and WSWS2-B possess improved construct coverage, fewer items, and other enhancements relative to the WSWS. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Background and Aims: We quantified the effects of smoking and smoking cessation on carotid artery atherosclerosis and wall thickness in two unique cohorts of smokers making a quit attempt., Methods: Our primary analysis included 726 smokers making a quit attempt in a randomized clinical trial with long-term follow-up. Our secondary analysis included 889 smokers making a quit attempt in a subsequent trial. Participants underwent carotid artery ultrasonography at baseline and up to 3 subsequent visits. Primary outcomes were changes in carotid plaque score and intima media-thickness (IMT). We calculated a smoking burden score (SBS) that reflected the number of visits in which participants reported smoking after the quit attempt. Multivariable regression examined relations between SBS and carotid artery outcomes with adjustments for cardiovascular disease risk factors., Results: In the primary analysis, participants were mean (standard deviation) 46.1 (10.3) years old (57.9% female) and smoked 21.1 (8.9) cigarettes per day (CPD). After a median of 7 years, lower SBS predicted less increase in carotid plaque score (Chi-squared = 13.0, p = 0.012). SBS independently predicted change in carotid plaque score (p = 0.007; SBS 0 vs 4) as did baseline CPD (p = 0.024) and age (p<0.0001). SBS did not affect carotid IMT change. In the secondary analysis, increasing SBS was associated with increased likelihood of new plaques over 3 years among participants that smoked ≥15 CPD, (Chi-squared = 6.51, p = 0.011)., Conclusions: Smoking cessation is associated with less progression of carotid plaque, but not IMT. Salutary associations of smoking cessation with carotid plaque progression are related to degree of abstinence., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Low-income smokers experience greater difficulty in quitting smoking than do other smokers. Providing financial incentives for treatment engagement increases smoking cessation success. This study models the cost-effectiveness of varying levels of financial incentives to maximise return on investment (ROI) for engaging low-income Medicaid recipients who smoke to take calls from a tobacco quit line., Methods: Participants (N=1900) were recruited from May 2013 to June 2015 through quit line-based (n=980), clinic-based (n=444) or community-based referrals (n=476) into the Wisconsin Medicaid Quit Line Incentive project. Incentive (n=948) and control group participants (n=952) received $30 versus $0 per call, respectively, for taking up to five Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line (WTQL) calls. Cost-effectiveness analyses estimated the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio for alternative financial incentives for engagement with WTQL calls. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was employed to determine an optimal strategy for financial incentives to minimise the cost per individual who quit smoking., Results: Using fixed payments, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $2316 per smoker who quit in the randomised trial decreased to $2150 per smoker who quit when the incentives were modelled at $20 per each of five WTQL calls taken. Using variable payments, the minimal cost per additional smoker who quit was $2125 when incentives for the first four WTQL calls were set at $20, and the financial payment for the fifth WTQL call was set at $70., Conclusions: Modelling suggests that financial incentives in the amount of $20 per call for taking the first four quit line calls and $70 for taking a fifth quit line call maximise ROI to engage low-income smokers with evidence-based smoking cessation treatment., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Introduction: One in 5 young adults in the United States currently smoke, and young adults are less likely than other smokers to make aided quit attempts. Telephone quitlines may be a useful tool for treating this population. This study tested a quitline-based smoking cessation intervention versus mailed self-help materials in smokers 18-24 years old., Methods: This was a 2-group randomized clinical trial. The quitline-based counseling intervention (CI) included up to 4 proactive telephone counseling sessions; participants in the self-help (SH) group received only mailed cessation materials. Participants included 410 young adults who had smoked at least 1 cigarette in the past 30 days and who called the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line (WTQL) for help with quitting. Primary study outcomes included whether or not a quit date was set, whether or not a serious quit attempt was undertaken, and self-reported 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at 1-, 3-, and 6-month postenrollment., Results: The CI and SH groups did not differ in the intent-to-treat abstinence analyses at any of the follow-ups. However, the CI group was significantly more likely to set a quit date at 1-month postenrollment. Follow-up response rates were low (67.8% at 1 month; 53.4% at 3 months; and 48.3% at 6 months) reflecting lower motivation to participate in this kind of research., Conclusions: Relative to self-help, quitline counseling motivated young adults to set a quit date but abstinence rates were not improved. Research is needed on how to motivate young adult smokers to seek cessation treatment including quitline services.

Objective: Alcohol consumption is associated with smoking cessation failure in both community and clinical research. However, little is known about the relation between alcohol consumption and smoking cessation milestones (i.e., achieving initial abstinence, avoiding lapses and relapse). Our objective in this research was to examine the relations between pretreatment alcohol consumption patterns (non/infrequent drinker, moderate drinker, binge drinker) and smoking cessation milestones and tobacco dependence., Method: Data were collected from 1,504 smokers (58.2% women; 83.9% White; mean age = 44.67 years, SD = 11.08) making an aided smoking cessation attempt as part of a clinical trial. Alcohol consumption pattern was determined with the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Tobacco dependence was assessed with the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM)., Results: Alcohol consumption pattern was significantly associated with initial cessation and lapse, and these findings remained after controlling for the effects of treatment, race, gender, and cigarettes per day. Relative to moderate drinkers, both non/infrequent drinkers and binge drinkers were less likely to achieve initial cessation (p < .05), and binge drinkers were more likely to lapse (p < .01). When drinking categories were compared on tobacco dependence indices, results showed that relative to moderate drinkers, non/infrequent drinkers scored higher on several WISDM Primary Dependence Motives subscales (Tolerance, Loss of Control, and Automaticity) and binge drinkers scored higher on WISDM Secondary Dependence Motives subscales (Cue Exposure and Social-Environmental Goads)., Conclusions: Non/infrequent drinkers' smoking cessation difficulties may be particularly related to core features of tobacco dependence, whereas binge drinkers' difficulties may be related to environmental and social influences.

Objective: People who live in poverty have a high prevalence of smoking, are less likely to engage in evidence-based treatment, and find it harder to quit. Their beliefs about smoking and quitting can serve as barriers to quitting. Little is known about the smoking and quitting beliefs of the very poor (about U.S. $15,000 or less annual family income) because they tend not to be included in research. This study sought to assess beliefs about smoking and quitting by the very poor in relation to past quitting behavior and intention to quit in the future., Method: A survey was administered in person to residents in randomly selected addresses in two very impoverished Milwaukee, WI, ZIP codes during the day to ensure the inclusion of the very poor., Results: Six hundred fifty-four people completed the survey, a response rate of 78.3%. Sixty-eight percent reported annual household incomes of less than $15,000 compared with 30.8% in the community as a whole and 13.0% of households nationally. Self-reported smoking prevalence was 42.1%. Specific beliefs about smoking and quitting were related to past quit attempts and intentions to quit in the future. Both race and income predicted beliefs and quitting-related variables independently and jointly., Conclusions: Continued tobacco-control progress requires addressing specific populations with known high tobacco use. One of these populations is those with low income. Efforts to engage them in treatment will have to address specific beliefs about smoking and quitting.

Background: The Affordable Care Act mandates that new insurance plans cover smoking-cessation therapy without cost-sharing. Previous cost difference estimates, which show a spike around the time of cessation, suggest premiums might rise as a result of covering these services., Purpose: The goal of the study was to test (1) whether individuals in an RCT of pharmacotherapy and counseling for smoking cessation differed in their healthcare costs around the cessation period, and (2) whether the healthcare costs of those in the trial who successfully quit were different from a matched sample of smokers in the community., Methods: Generalized linear regression models were used to analyze healthcare cost data on individuals enrolled in a comparative effectiveness trial of cessation therapies between October 2005 and May 2007 (1346 total participants; 1338 with requisite data for further analysis). Cost differences for the period preceding and subsequent to the cessation attempt were assessed by trial participants' 12-month sustained quit status. Healthcare cost differences between sustained quitters and a sample of community-dwelling smokers, matched to these quitters on the basis of health services use around the time trial participant enrolled and by demographics, were also examined. Data were analyzed in 2011., Results: All three groups had a spike in cost associated with the index clinic visit. Regression results revealed little difference in healthcare costs by quit status for trial participants until the sixth quarter post-quit. By that quarter, continuous sustained quitters cost $541 (p<0.001) less than continuing smokers. Continuous sustained quitters cost less than their matched community- dwelling smokers in almost every quarter observed. The cost difference ranged from $270 (p=0.01) during the quarter of quit, to $490 (p<0.01) in the 6th quarter after quitting., Conclusions: The inclusion of smoking-cessation therapy does not appear to raise short-term healthcare costs. By the sixth quarter post-quit, sustained quitters were less costly than trial participants who continued smoking., (Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM) assesses 13 domains of smoking motivation emphasized by diverse theoretical perspectives. Emerging findings support a distinction between four primary dependence motives (PDM) indexing core features of tobacco dependence and nine secondary dependence motives (SDM) indexing accessory features. The current study explored the validity of this distinction using data from two samples (Ns=50 and 88) of college smokers who self-monitored their reasons for smoking with electronic diaries. PDM scores were associated with diary endorsement of habitual or automatic motives for smoking individual cigarettes, which are conceptually consistent with the content of the PDM subscales. SDM did not clearly predict conceptually related self-monitored motives when tested alone. However, when these two correlated scale composites were co-entered, PDM predicted being a daily vs. nondaily smoker, being higher in nicotine dependence, and smoking individual cigarettes because of habit or automaticity. Conversely, after PDM-SDM co-entry, the unique variance in the SDM composite predicted the tendency to report smoking individual cigarettes for situational or instrumental motives (e.g., to control negative affect). The results suggest that the PDM composite may reflect core motivational features of nicotine dependence in these young smokers. The relative prominence of primary motives in advanced or dependent use may be even clearer when motives for smoking are assessed in real time rather than reported via questionnaire., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Previous research revealed significant associations between haplotypes in the CHRNA5-A3-B4 subunit cluster and scores on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence among individuals reporting daily smoking by age 17. The present study used subsamples of participants from that study to investigate associations between the CHRNA5-A3-B4 haplotypes and an array of phenotypes not analyzed previously (i.e., withdrawal severity, ability to stop smoking, and specific scales on the Wisconsin Inventory of Smoking Dependence Motives (WISDM-68) that reflect loss of control, strong craving, and heavy smoking., Methods: Two cohorts of current or former smokers (N = 886) provided both self-report data and DNA samples. One sample (Wisconsin) comprised smokers making a quit smoking attempt, which permitted the assessment of withdrawal and relapse during the attempt. The other sample (Utah) comprised participants studied for risk factors for nicotine dependence and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and included individuals originally recruited in the Lung Health Study., Results: The CHRNA5-A3-B4 haplotypes were significantly associated with the targeted WISDM-68 scales (Tolerance, Craving, Loss of Control) in both samples of participants but only among individuals who began smoking early in life. The haplotypes were significantly associated with relapse likelihood and withdrawal severity, but these associations showed no evidence of an interaction with age at daily smoking., Discussion: The CHRNA5-A3-B4 haplotypes are associated with a broad range of nicotine dependence phenotypes, but these associations are not consistently moderated by age at initial smoking.

Background: The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Smoking Cessation Clinical Practice Guideline recommends that all clinicians strongly advise their patients who use tobacco to quit., Methods: We conducted a randomized, controlled trial of the effectiveness of Guideline implementation at eight community-based primary care clinics in southern Wisconsin (four test sites, four control sites) among 2163 consecutively enrolled adult patients who smoked at least one cigarette per day and presented for nonemergency care during the baseline period (June 16, 1999, to June 20, 2000) or the intervention period (from June 21, 2000, to May 3, 2001). After collecting baseline data, staff at test sites implemented the intervention over a 2-month period. The intervention included a tutorial for intake clinicians, group and individual performance feedback for intake clinicians, use of a modified vital signs stamp, an offer of free nicotine replacement therapy, and proactive telephone counseling. Staff at control sites received only general information about the AHRQ Guideline. Self-reported abstinence from smoking was determined by telephone interviews at 2- and 6-month follow-up assessments. Hierarchical logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) for treatment assignment after adjustment for patient characteristics. All statistical tests were two-sided., Results: There were no statistically significant differences in smoking cessation rates between participants at test and control sites during the baseline period. Among participants treated during the intervention period, those at test sites were more likely than those at control sites to report being abstinent at the 2-month (16.4% versus 5.8%; adjusted OR = 3.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.9 to 5.6; P<.001) and 6-month (15.4% versus 9.8%; adjusted OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.2 to 2.6; P =.009) follow-up assessments and to report continuous abstinence, that is, abstinence at both 2 and 6 months (10.9% versus 3.8%; adjusted OR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.8 to 6.3; P<.001)., Conclusion: Implementation of a guideline-based smoking cessation intervention by intake clinicians in primary care is associated with higher abstinence among smokers.

Objectives: To examine the ability of a simple system-wide screening assessment tool, an expanded vital sign stamp, to increase rates of smoker identification, physician advice to quit smoking, and physician assistance in quitting and abstinence rates., Participants and Methods: This study is a pretest, posttest design in which 5 primary health care clinics were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition, which received the vital sign stamp, or the control condition. Participants (N = 9439) were surveyed by using exit interviews at the 5 clinics, both before and after the vital sign intervention was implemented. Participants who were identified as smokers were then contacted 1 year later for follow-up. The study began in February 1995, and all follow-up visits were completed by December 1998., Results: Implementation of the vital sign stamp significantly increased the rates at which physicians asked participants about their smoking status (17.2% vs 7.5%). However, the rates of physicians advising smokers to quit, assisting them in quitting, and arranging follow-up either stayed constant or decreased. The number of quit attempts and abstinence rates also stayed constant., Conclusion: A simple system-wide screening assessment tool, while effective in identifying more tobacco users, did not increase the rates at which physicians advised or assisted smokers to quit. Further system-wide changes may be needed to ensure that effective tobacco-dependence treatments are given to smokers.