1. Associations between compliance with very low nicotine content (VLNC) cigarettes, abstinence self-efficacy, and quit outcomes in a pilot smoking cessation trial.
- Author
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Giummo R, Oliver JA, McClernon FJ, and Sweitzer MM
- Subjects
- Humans, Male, Female, Adult, Middle Aged, Pilot Projects, Tobacco Use Cessation Devices, Patient Compliance, Treatment Outcome, Tobacco Products, Smoking Cessation methods, Smoking Cessation psychology, Self Efficacy, Nicotine administration & dosage, Nicotine therapeutic use, Tobacco Use Disorder therapy, Tobacco Use Disorder psychology
- Abstract
Background: Switching to Very Low Nicotine Content (VLNC) cigarettes reduces toxicant exposure and nicotine dependence, and may improve smoking cessation. However, non-compliance with VLNCs is often high, which may reduce their effectiveness. Here, we conducted secondary analyses of a pilot smoking cessation trial utilizing VLNCs to examine associations between pre-cessation VLNC compliance and changes in smoking rate, dependence, and abstinence self-efficacy, as well as quit outcomes., Methods: People who smoke daily (n=35) engaged in a 4-week pre-cessation intervention including VLNCs, transdermal nicotine patch, and behavioral counseling. After quit date, participants received 8 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy and 4 additional behavioral sessions, and were followed for 10 weeks to assess abstinence. Compliance with VLNCs was assessed biweekly during pre-cessation using timeline follow-back. Statistical analyses examined associations between VLNC compliance and a) changes in smoking rate, dependence and abstinence self-efficacy over the course of study cigarette use; and b) time to relapse, controlling for other smoking variables., Results: Greater compliance during the second half of study cigarette use was associated with subsequent improvement in self-efficacy (p<.05). Increased self-efficacy and VLNC compliance both predicted lower likelihood of relapse. Nicotine dependence and cigarettes per day both decreased following study cigarette use, but were unrelated to compliance or relapse., Conclusions: Compliance with VLNCs prior to quitting increased abstinence self-efficacy and predicted better quit outcomes above and beyond baseline smoking characteristics. Although preliminary, these findings suggest that identifying strategies to promote exclusive use of VLNCs during a brief pre-cessation window may be beneficial., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no potential competing financial/personal interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)
- Published
- 2024
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