Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study

Acupressure has been widely used to help people quit for a long time in China. This study explores the feasibility and effects of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence to inform policy and decision-making.

This was a single-group study with a pre/posttest design. The participants received four weeks of auricular acupressure treatment, led by a registered acupuncturist. Smoking cravings, nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and number of cigarettes per day (CPD) were recorded before and after treatment. Changes in outcomes were analyzed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks using SPSS software version 22.0. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants to explore their experiences and attitudes toward auricular acupressure. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.

A total of 20 participants completed this study. A significant reduction was observed in smoking cravings (F = 11.02, P < 0.05), nicotine dependence (F = 11.09, P < 0.05), withdrawal symptoms (F = 11.19, P < 0.05), and CPD (F = 19.03, P < 0.05) across sessions. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms decreased significantly from 2 weeks to 4 weeks (P < 0.05) of acupressure treatment. Three interrelated themes emerged from the interviews: personal and external resources, the psychological and physical effects of acupressure, and satisfaction with acupressure for smoking cessation.

The quantitative and qualitative data suggest that acupressure maybe effectively decrease nicotine dependence and smoking cravings. However, this was a pilot and single-arm study, and these findings must be further verified. The study supports the feasibility and safety of introducing acupressure therapy for smoking cessation in young smokers.