Factors associated with successful vs. unsuccessful smoking cessation: Data from a nationally representative study

A substantial proportion of smokers who attempt to stop smoking relapse in the first months. Yet to date, there is limited understanding of the predictors of smoking attempts and their success. We examine the role of tobacco use characteristics, other substance-related factors, as well as socio-demographic characteristics in relation to successful and unsuccessful smoking cessation.

DePICT (Description des Perceptions, Images, et Comportements liés au Tabagisme) is a nationally representative sample of adults aged between 18 and 64years residing in metropolitan France, who were interviewed by telephone survey (n=4342). Among current or former smokers (n=2110) we distinguished participants characterized by: a) no quit attempt or quit <6months; b) unsuccessful smoking cessation (current smokers who previously quit smoking ≥6months); c) successful smoking cessation (≥6months). Factors associated with successful vs. unsuccessful smoking cessation were studied using multivariate multinomial logistic regression analyses.

Successful and unsuccessful smoking cessation share some predicting factors including no cannabis use, older age, and intermediate or high occupational grade. Factors specifically associated with successful smoking cessation included no e-cigarette use, no environmental tobacco exposure, fear of the health consequences of smoking, perceived harmfulness of smoking, and high educational attainment and a good overall health.

Smokers' environmental tobacco exposure, concurrent cannabis use, and the perception of the health consequences of smoking should be taken into account in efforts aiming to promote smoking cessation at the individual as well as collective levels. Our data also suggest that e-cigarette use is associated with unsuccessful rather than successful smoking cessation, which should be verified in additional, longitudinal, studies.