Six Month Abstinence Heterogeneity in the Best Quit Study

Area of Science:

• Behavioral science
• Public health
• Addiction research

Background:

• Identifying characteristics of successful smokers is crucial for improving smoking cessation rates.
• Understanding heterogeneity in cessation outcomes can inform tailored interventions.
• Previous research highlights the need for personalized approaches in smoking cessation programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate variations in smoking cessation success at six months.
• To analyze the impact of behavioral counseling with or without weight management on cessation outcomes.
• To identify specific smoker characteristics associated with different cessation success levels.

Main Methods:

• A large cohort of 2,540 smokers was recruited from a quitline provider.
• Participants were randomized to receive smoking cessation behavioral counseling with or without weight management counseling.
• Classification and Regression Tree (CART) analysis was used to identify predictors of smoking cessation success.

Main Results:

• CART analysis revealed 10 distinct subgroups of smokers with abstinence rates varying from 25.5% to 70.2%.
• Key factors influencing subgroup membership and abstinence included counseling call frequency, pharmacotherapy use, cigarettes per day, confidence, motivation, and anxiety levels.
• Cost per quitter ranged from $US270 to $US630, with specific treatment recommendations for each subgroup.

Conclusions:

• Significant variation in smoking abstinence was observed post-treatment.
• The total number of counseling calls and baseline individual characteristics were more influential than the assigned treatment.
• Tailoring interventions to high-risk subgroups can enhance smoking cessation success rates.