Self-reported smoking cessation interventions were not associated with quitting in older women

To determine the extent to which smoking cessation interventions are used in the community and their relative success in older women.

Prospective cohort study located in 23 general practices in England, Scotland. and Wales and including 3,622 women aged 60 to 79 years at recruitment from the British Women's Heart and Health Study.

Of the 370 smokers at baseline, 77 (21%) had stopped smoking at 3 years, reducing the prevalence of smoking from 10.2% to 8.8%. Women who were light smokers (<10 per day) at baseline were more likely to have quit than heavier smokers. The most common interventions reported by women who smoked at baseline were advice from a general practitioner (GP), family or friend's advice, and use of nicotine replacement, but 42% of the women reported having no intervention to help them to stop smoking. None of the individual interventions were associated with increased odds of quitting smoking over the follow-up period. Women reported finding a GP's advice, referral to a clinic, and nicotine replacement more useful than complementary treatments (acupuncture and hypnotherapy) or advice from family and friends.

Smoking cessation rates in this study were in line with national targets and surveys. Self-reports of ever receiving interventions were not associated with quitting smoking among these older women. Different and innovative approaches to smoking cessation may need to be developed, and evaluated in future randomized clinical trials, for individuals who have smoked for a long period of time and for whom other smoking cessation interventions have not proved successful.