Development and preliminary evaluation of a structured and personalized self-help smoking cessation program: A...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Addiction Medicine

Background:

• Self-help smoking cessation programs offer a cost-effective and accessible approach.
• The 'Two Weeks to Quit' (TWTQ) program was developed as a structured toolkit for smoking cessation.
• TWTQ involves a two-week preparation phase followed by a four-week maintenance period.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the effectiveness of the TWTQ program for smoking cessation.
• To evaluate the program's impact on tobacco consumption reduction.
• To identify factors influencing short-term and long-term smoking abstinence.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study evaluated the TWTQ program in Paris, France (February 2023 - April 2024).
• Participants (aged 18-60) were recruited through pharmacies, social media, and general outreach.
• Smoking cessation was assessed at program completion (six weeks) and five months post-quit date using the Fagerström test and self-report.

Main Results:

• Of 97 enrolled participants, 47 completed the program. At six weeks, 57.4% reported cessation.
• Long-term abstinence (five months) was achieved by 40.4% of completers, with an intent-to-treat rate of 19.6%.
• Significant reduction in Fagerström scores was observed, with adherence and older age predicting short-term cessation; no factors predicted long-term abstinence.

Conclusions:

• The TWTQ program shows potential for smoking cessation and tobacco reduction with sustained effects.
• The findings support the evaluation of structured self-help programs in large-scale public health campaigns.
• Further research is needed to understand predictors of long-term abstinence and optimize program engagement.