Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Perceptions Of Facilitators And Barriers To Smoking Cessation Among Patients And Providers In A Cancer Center: A Single Institution Qualitative Exploratory Study, Luke M. Shenton, Udara Perera, Amy Leader, Ann C. Klassen

College of Population Health Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Cancer patients who remain tobacco users have poorer outcomes, including increased mortality and decreased treatment tolerance; however, cessation post-diagnosis is challenging. Our formative research explored cessation-related perspectives among patients and staff at one National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, to inform improving cessation services within oncology care.

METHODS: Using a descriptive phenomenological approach, a purposive sample of current cancer patients (n = 13) and cancer center physicians and cessation program staff (n = 9) were recruited to complete one-on-one audio-recorded in-depth qualitative interviews, to explore experiences providing or receiving cessation support, and perspectives on patients' readiness and needs regarding cessation. …

Deep Brain Stimulation For Substance Use Disorder: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Nour Shaheen, Ahmed Shaheen, Can Sarica, Arun Singh, Mario Zanaty, Karim Johari, Andrew Yang, Theresa Zesiewicz, Brian Dalm, Yarema Bezchlibnyk, Andres M Lozano, Oliver Flouty

Department of Neurosurgery Faculty Papers

OBJECTIVE: Substance use disorder (SUD) is a significant public health issue with a high mortality rate. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has shown promising results in treating SUD in certain cases. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy of DBS in the treatment of SUD and reduction of relapse rates.

METHODS: We performed a thorough and methodical search of the existing scientific literature, adhering to the PRISMA guidelines, to identify 16 original studies that fulfilled our inclusion criteria. We used the evidence levels recommended by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine to assess bias. The R version …

Integrating Tobacco Treatment Into Oncology Care: Reach And Effectiveness Of Evidence-Based Tobacco Treatment Across National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Centers, Sarah D Hohl, Alex T Ramsey, Li-Shiun Chen, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

PURPOSE: Quitting smoking improves patients' clinical outcomes, yet smoking is not commonly addressed as part of cancer care. The Cancer Center Cessation Initiative (C3I) supports National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers to integrate tobacco treatment programs (TTPs) into routine cancer care. C3I centers vary in size, implementation strategies used, and treatment approaches. We examined associations of these contextual factors with treatment reach and smoking cessation effectiveness.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study used survey data from 28 C3I centers that reported tobacco treatment data during the first 6 months of 2021. Primary outcomes of interest were treatment reach (reach)-the proportion of patients identified …

Adolescent Use And Co-Use Of Tobacco And Cannabis In California: The Roles Of Local Policy And Density Of Tobacco, Vape, And Cannabis Retailers Around Schools, Georgiana Bostean, Anton M. Palma, Alison A. Padon, Erik Linstead, Joni Ricks-Oddie, Jason A. Douglas, Jennifer B. Unger

Sociology Faculty Articles and Research

Adolescent tobacco use (particularly vaping) and co-use of cannabis and tobacco have increased, leading some jurisdictions to implement policies intended to reduce youth access to these products; however, their impacts remain unclear. We examine associations between local policy, density of tobacco, vape, and cannabis retailers around schools, and adolescent use and co-use of tobacco/vape and cannabis.

We combined 2018 statewide California (US) data on: (a) jurisdiction-level policies related to tobacco and cannabis retail environments, (b) jurisdiction-level sociodemographic composition, (c) retailer locations (tobacco, vape, and cannabis shops), and (d) survey data on 534,176 middle and high school students (California Healthy Kids …

Appeal Of Tobacco Quitline Services Among Low-Income Smokers, Lauren M Grimes, Rachel Garg, Olivia Weng, Jennifer M Wolff, Amy Mcqueen, Kelly M Carpenter, Matthew W Kreuter

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: State tobacco quitlines are delivering cessation assistance through an increasingly diverse range of channels. However, offerings vary from state to state, many smokers are unaware of what is available, and it is not yet clear how much demand exists for different types of assistance. In particular, the demand for online and digital cessation interventions among low-income smokers, who bear a disproportionate burden of tobacco-related disease, is not well understood.

METHODS: We examined interest in using 13 tobacco quitline services in a racially diverse sample of 1,605 low-income smokers in 9 states who had called a 2-1-1 helpline and participated …

Congenital Gastrointestinal Anomalies In Europe 2010–2019: A Geo-Spatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study Of Epidemiological Patterns In Relationship To Cannabis- And Substance Exposure, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction: Congenital anomalies (CA’s) of most of the gastrointestinal tract have been linked causally with prenatal or community cannabis exposure. Therefore, we studied this relationship in Europe. Methods: CA data were from Eurocat. Drug-use data were sourced from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Income data were taken from the World Bank. Results: When countries with increasing rates of daily cannabis use were compared with those which were not, the overall rate of gastrointestinal CA’s (GCA’s) was higher in the former group (p = 0.0032). The five anomalies which were related to the metrics of cannabis exposure …

Tobacco Exposure In Adults And Children With Proteinuric Glomerulopathies: A Neptune Cohort Study., Linda Wang, Bayle Smith-Salzberg, Kevin Ec Meyers, Dorey A. Glenn, Katherine R. Tuttle, Vimal K. Derebail, Tammy M. Brady, Keisha Gibson, Abigail R. Smith, Michelle M. O'Shaughnessy, Tarak Srivastava, Gentzon Hall, Jarcy Zee, Markus Bitzer, Christine B. Sethna

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

BACKGROUND: Tobacco exposure has been recognized as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and progression of kidney disease. Patients with proteinuric glomerulopathies are at increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Multiple studies have linked tobacco exposure to CVD and chronic kidney disease, but the relationships between smoking and proteinuric glomerulopathies in adults and children have not been previously explored.

METHODS: Data from the Nephrotic Syndrome Study Network (NEPTUNE), a multi-center prospective observational study of participants with proteinuric glomerulopathies, was analyzed. 371 adults and 192 children enrolled in NEPTUNE were included in the analysis. Self-reported tobacco exposure was classified …

Patterns Of Cannabis- And Substance-Related Congenital General Anomalies In Europe: A Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction:

Recent series of congenital anomaly (CA) rates (CARs) have showed the close and epidemiologically causal relationship of cannabis exposure to many CARs. We investigated these trends in Europe where similar trends have occurred.

Methods:

CARs from EUROCAT. Drug use from European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Income data from World Bank. Results: CARs were higher in countries with increasing daily use overall (p = 9.99 × 10⁻¹⁴, minimum E-value (mEV) = 2.09) and especially for maternal infections, situs inversus, teratogenic syndromes and VACTERL syndrome (p = 1.49 × 10⁻¹⁵, mEV = 3.04). In …

Clinical Epigenomic Explanation Of The Epidemiology Of Cannabinoid Genotoxicity Manifesting As Transgenerational Teratogenesis, Cancerogenesis And Aging Acceleration, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As global interest in the therapeutic potential of cannabis and its’ derivatives for the management of selected diseases increases, it is increasingly imperative that the toxic profile of cannabinoids be thoroughly understood in order to correctly assess the balance between the therapeutic risks and benefits. Modern studies across a number of jurisdictions, including Canada, Australia, the US and Europe have confirmed that some of the most worrying and severe historical reports of both congenital anomalies and cancer induction following cannabis exposure actually underestimate the multisystem thousand megabase-scale transgenerational genetic damage. These findings from teratogenic and carcinogenic literature are supported by …

Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study Of European Epidemiological Patterns Of Cannabis- And Substance-Related Congenital Orofacial Anomalies, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction:

Since high rates of congenital anomalies (CAs), including facial CAs (FCAs), causally attributed to antenatal and community cannabis use have been reported in several recent series, it was of interest to examine this subject in detail in Europe.

Methods:

CA data were taken from the EUROCAT database. Drug exposure data were downloaded from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Income was taken from the World Bank’s online sources.

Results:

On the bivariate maps of both orofacial clefts and holoprosencephaly against resin, the Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentration rates of both covariates increased together in France, Bulgaria, and the …

The Vaping Epidemic Among The Adolescent Population, Miranda O'Dell

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

The Role Of Smoking In Covid-19 Progression: A Comprehensive Meta-Analysis, Silvano Gallus, Marco Scala, Irene Possenti, Carlotta Micaela Jarach, Luke Clancy, Esteve Fernandez, Giuseppe Gorini, Giulia Carreras, Maria Chiara Malevolti, Alison Commar, Ranti Fayokun, Hebe N. Gouda, Vinayak M. Prasad, Alessandra Lugo

Articles

The association between current smoking and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) progression remains uncertain. We aim to provide up-to-date evidence of the role of cigarette smoking in COVID-19 hospitalisation, severity and mortality. On 23 February 2022 we conducted an umbrella review and a traditional systematic review via PubMed/Medline and Web of Science. We used random-effects meta-analyses to derive pooled odds ratios of COVID-19 outcomes for smokers in cohorts of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infected individuals or COVID-19 patients. We followed the Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology reporting guidelines. PROSPERO: CRD42020207003. 320 publications were included. The pooled odds ratio …

Inequalities And Impacts On Poverty Incidence Of Tobacco, Alcohol, And Health Out-Of-Pocket Expenditures In The Philippines, 2012–2018, Nel Jason Haw

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

The Philippines increased taxes for tobacco and alcohol products and expanded population coverage under the national social health insurance scheme from 2012 to 2018. This paper examines inequalities in tobacco, alcohol, and health out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditures in the Philippines using the Family Income and Expenditure Survey 2012, 2015, and 2018. Fewer households reported spending on tobacco and alcohol, and the amount decreased among poor households over time, resulting in a decrease in impoverishment. Tobacco and alcohol spending was regressive, with the magnitude of regressivity decreasing between 2015 and 2018. Health OOP expenditures decreased between 2015 and 2018, with the magnitude …

Biomarkers Of Toxic Exposure And Oxidative Stress Among U.S. Adult Users Of Premium Cigar Versus Other Cigar Subtypes: 2013-2019, Hongying Dai, Neal L. Benowitz, Eleanor Rogan, Abraham Degarege, James Buckley, Ali S. Khan

Journal Articles: Epidemiology

INTRODUCTION: Cigars are currently the second-highest-used combustible tobacco product among U.S. adults, but knowledge about health effects of premium cigars versus other cigar subtype use is limited.

AIMS AND METHODS: This study analyzed the biospecimen data (n = 31 875) from Waves 1-5 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, collected during 2013-2019. Multivariable generalized estimation equations, accounting for within-person clustering, were conducted to examine differences in urine biomarkers of exposure (BOE) from five classes of harmful and potentially harmful constituents along with a biomarker of oxidative stress (urine 8-isoprostane) among exclusive users of premium cigars versus other …

Genetic Diversity Fuels Gene Discovery For Tobacco And Alcohol Use, Gretchen R B Saunders, Charles C Gu, John P Rice, Nancy L Saccone, Laura J Bierut, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

Tobacco and alcohol use are heritable behaviours associated with 15% and 5.3% of worldwide deaths, respectively, due largely to broad increased risk for disease and injury

Piperine Attenuates Cigarette Smoke-Induced Oxidative Stress, Lung Inflammation, And Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition By Modulating The Sirt1/Nrf2 Axis, Pritam Saha, Sneha Durugkar, Siddhi Jain, P A Shantanu, Samir R Panda, Aishwarya Jala, Sharad Gokhale, Pawan Sharma, V G M Naidu

Center for Translational Medicine Faculty Papers

Piperine (PIP) is a major phytoconstituent in black pepper which is responsible for various pharmacological actions such as anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor activity. To investigate the effects and mechanisms of PIP on cigarette smoke (CS)-induced lung pathology using both in-vitro and in-vivo models. BEAS-2B and A549 cells were exposed to CS extract (CSE) for 48 h; BALB/c mice were exposed to CS (9 cigarettes/day, 4 days) to induce features of airway disease. PIP at doses of (0.25, 1.25, and 6.25 µM, in vitro; 1 and 10 mg/kg, in vivo, i.n) and DEX (1 µM, in vitro; 1 mg/kg, in vivo, …

Epidemiological Patterns Of Cannabis- And Substance- Related Congenital Uronephrological Anomalies In Europe: Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction:

Recent reports linking prenatal and community cannabis exposure to elevated uronephrological congenital anomaly (UCA) rates (UCAR’s) raise the question of its European epidemiology given recent increases in community cannabinoid penetration there.

Methods:

UCAR data from Eurocat. Drug use data from European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Income from World bank.

Results:

UCAR increased across Spain, Netherlands, Poland and France. UCAR’s and cannabis resin THC increased simultaneously in France, Spain, Netherlands and Bulgaria. At bivariate analysis all UCA’s were related to cannabis herb and resin THC concentrations. All UCAR’s were bivariately related to cannabis metrics ordered by median …

Tnf-Α And Nf-Κb Signaling Play A Critical Role In Cigarette Smoke-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Of Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells In Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy, Victor Wang, Alison Heffer, Elisa Roztocil, Steven E Feldon, Richard T Libby, Collynn F Woeller, Ajay E Kuriyan

Wills Eye Hospital Papers

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is characterized by the growth and contraction of cellular membranes within the vitreous cavity and on both surfaces of the retina, resulting in recurrent retinal detachments and poor visual outcomes. Proinflammatory cytokines like tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) have been associated with PVR and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Cigarette smoke is the only known modifiable risk factor for PVR, but the mechanisms are unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of cigarette smoke on the proinflammatory TNFα/NF-κB/Snail pathway in RPE cells to better understand the mechanisms through …

Behavioural Support And Nicotine Replacement Therapy For Smokeless Tobacco Cessation: Protocol For A Pilot Randomised-Controlled Multi-Country Trial, Faraz Siddiqui, Linda Bauld, Ray Croucher, Cath Jackson, Ian Kellar, Mona Kanaan, Subhash Pokhrel, Rumana Huque, Romaina Iqbal, Javaid Ahmed Khan

Community Health Sciences

Background: Smokeless tobacco (ST) is consumed globally by more than 350 million people, with approximately 85% of all users based in South and Southeast Asia. In this region, ST products are cheap and easily accessible. Evidence-based interventions to people quit ST use are lacking. This study aims to test the feasibility of conducting a future definitive trial of ST cessation, using a culturally adapted behavioural intervention, and/or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in three South Asian countries.
Methods: We will conduct a factorial design, randomised-controlled pilot trial in Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. Daily ST users will be recruited from primary health …

Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Students Experiencing Homelessness And Substance Use In The School Context: A Statewide Study, Hadass Moore, Kris De Pedro

Education Faculty Articles and Research

PURPOSE

This study explored differences between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB)-housed and homeless students regarding substance use patterns on and off school grounds and the unique contribution of homelessness to substance use in school.

METHODS

Data were from the 2013-2015 California Healthy Kids Survey, a statewide survey of school protective factors and risk behaviors. A representative sample of 9th- and 11th-grade students (N = 20,337) was used. Comparisons between housed (n = 19,456) and homeless (doubled up: n = 715; acute homeless: n = 166) LGB students were conducted. We used chi-square tests to compare rates of lifetime, past-30-day, and …

Impact Of The Policy Environment On Substance Use Among Sexual Minority Women, Laurie A. Drabble, Cat Munroe, Amy A. Mericle, Sarah Zollweg, Karen F. Trocki, Katherine J. Karriker-Jaffe

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background: Sexual minority women (SMW) are at greater risk for heavy episodic drinking, frequent marijuana use, and tobacco use than heterosexual women. Because past research has suggested the political and social environment may influence disparities in substance use by sexual orientation, this study examined associations of the U.S. state-level policy environment on substance use by SMW.

Methods: A total of 732 SMW participants were recruited from two national online panels: a general population panel (n = 333) and a sexual minority-specific panel (n = 399). Past year substance use was defined by number of days of heavy episodic drinking (HED; …

A Wechat-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention For Chinese Smokers: A Pilot Study, Ting Luo, Mirandy S. Li, Donna Williams, Jackson Fritz, Kaylin Beiter, Stephen Phillippi, Qingzhao Yu, Stephen Kantrow, Wei Ting Lin, Yu Hsiang Kao, Yongchun Chen, Liwei Chen, Tung-Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Background: China is the largest tobacco producer and has the highest number of tobacco consumers in the world. Extensive research has demonstrated the utility of social media for smoking cessation. WeChat is the most commonly used social media platform in China, but has not yet been utilized for smoking cessation interventions. The objectives of this study are (1) to evaluate the efficacy of a WeChat-based smoking cessation intervention; and (2) to examine a possible additive effect of integrating oral health and smoking-related information into a tailored, Transtheoretical Model (TTM) guided smoking cessation intervention. Methods: Eligible adults were recruited through WeChat …

A Scoping Review Of Alcohol, Tobacco, And Other Drug Use Treatment Interventions For Sexual And Gender Minority Populations, Jeremy D. Kidd, Margaret M. Paschen-Wolff, Amy A. Mericle, Billy A. Caceres, Laurie A. Drabble, Tonda L. Hughes

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background
Alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use are among the most prevalent and important health disparities affecting sexual and gender minority (SGM; e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) populations. Although numerous government agencies and health experts have called for substance use intervention studies to address these disparities, such studies continue to be relatively rare.
Method
We conducted a scoping review of prevention and drug treatment intervention studies for alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use that were conducted with SGM adults. We searched three databases to identify pertinent English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between 1985 and 2019.
Results
Our search yielded 71 articles. …

European Epidemiological Patterns Of Cannabis- And Substance-Related Congenital Cardiovascular Anomalies: Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

As prenatal and community cannabis exposures have recently been linked with congenital heart disease (CHD), it was of interest to explore these associations in Europe in a causal framework and space-time context. Congenital anomaly data from Eurocat, drug-use data from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, and income from the World Bank. Countries with rising daily cannabis use had in general higher congenital anomaly rates over time than those without (time: status interaction: β-Est. = 0.0267, P = 0.0059). At inverse probability-weighted panel regression, cannabis terms were positive and significant for CHD, severe CHD, atrial septal defect, …

Relationships Of Serum Cc16 Levels With Smoking Status And Lung Function In Copd, Kelli C. Gribben, Jill A. Poole, Amy J. Nelson, Paraskevi A. Farazi, Christopher S. Wichman, Art J. Heires, Debra J. Romberger, Tricia D. Levan

Journal Articles: Pulmonary & Critical Care Med

Background: The club cell secretory protein (CC16) has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and low CC16 serum levels have been associated with both risk and progression of COPD, yet the interaction between smoking and CC16 on lung function outcomes remains unknown.

Methods: Utilizing cross-sectional data on United States veterans, CC16 serum concentrations were measured by ELISA and log transformed for analyses. Spirometry was conducted and COPD status was defined by post-bronchodilator FEV₁/FVC ratio < 0.7. Smoking measures were self-reported on questionnaire. Multivariable logistic and linear regression were employed to examine associations between CC16 levels and COPD, and lung function with adjustment for covariates. Unadjusted Pearson correlations described relationships between CC16 level and lung function measures, pack-years smoked, and years since smoking cessation.

Results: The study population (N = 351) was mostly male, white, with an average age over 60 years. An interaction between CC16 and smoking status on …

Effects Of Cannabis On Congenital Limb Anomalies In 14 European Nations: A Geospatiotemporal And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Cannabinoid exposure is increasing in some European nations. Europe therefore provides an interesting test environment for the recently reported link between cannabis exposure and congenital limb anomaly (CLA) rates (CLARs). Exponential genotoxic dose–response relationships make this investigation both intriguing and imperative. Annual CLAR in 14 nations were from Epidemiological Surveillance of Congenital Anomalies. Drug use rates were from European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Dependency. Median household income was from the World Bank. E-values provide a quantitative measure of robustness of results to confounding by extraneous covariates. Inverse probability weighting is an important technique for equalizing exposures across countries …

Impact Of A Reduced Nicotine Standard On Young Adult Appeal For Menthol And Non-Menthol Cigarettes, Amy M. Cohn, Rachel Cassidy, Rachel Denlinger-Apte, Eric Donny, Andrea C. Villanti, Dorothy Hatsukami, Delaney Dunn, Riley Wyatt, Taylor Niznik, Tamar Cohen-Davidyan, Michael Smith, Sarah J. Ehlke

Psychology Faculty Publications

Introduction The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced its intention to reduce the nicotine content in cigarettes as a strategy to promote cessation and reduce smoking-related harm. A low nicotine product standard will apply to all cigarettes on the market, including menthol cigarettes. In December 2021, the FDA approved a modified risk tobacco product application for menthol and non-menthol flavoured very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNC) from the 22nd Century Group. Notably, experimentation with menthol cigarettes is linked to smoking progression, as well as greater nicotine dependence relative to non-menthol cigarette use. If menthol VLNCs are perceived as more appealing than …

Cannabinoid And Substance Relationships Of European Congenital Anomaly Patterns: A Space-Time Panel Regression And Causal Inferential Study, Albert Stuart Reece, Gary Kenneth Hulse

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

With reports from Australia, Canada, USA, Hawaii and Colorado documenting a link between cannabis and congenital anomalies (CAs), this relationship was investigated in Europe. Data on 90 CAs were accessed from Eurocat. Tobacco and alcohol consumption and median household income data were from the World Bank. Amphetamine, cocaine and last month and daily use of cannabis from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction. Cannabis herb and resin Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol concentrations were from published reports. Data were processed in R. Twelve thousand three hundred sixty CA rates were sourced across 16 nations of Europe. Nations with a higher or …

Implementation Of A Wechat-Based Smoking Cessation Program For Chinese Smokers, Ting Luo, Mirandy S. Li, Donna Williams, Jackson Fritz, Stephen Phillippi, Qingzhao Yu, Stephen Kantrow, Liwei Chen, Yongchun Chen, Kaylin Beiter, Tung-Sung Tseng

School of Public Health Faculty Publications

Introduction: Although smoking prevalence has recently declined, the smoking prevalence in China remains high. Extensive research has demonstrated ways that social media can assist in quitting smoking. WeChat is the most commonly used social media platform in China but has not been used for smoking cessation. A process evaluation of a novel WeChat-based smoking cessation intervention was conducted to measure its efficacy of content delivery, participant satisfac-tion, engagement, and likelihood of recommendation to others. Methods: A three-week, three-arm, single-blind randomized control trial was established. WeChat was used to recruit 403 participants and to deliver intervention messages and process evaluation surveys …

Factors Motivating Smoking Cessation: A Cross-Sectional Study In A Lower-Middle-Income Country, Russell S. Martins, Muhammad Umer Junaid, Muhammad Sharjeel Khan, Namrah Aziz, Zoha Zahid Fazal, Mariam Umoodi, Fatima Shah, Javaid Ahmed Khan

Medical College Documents

Introduction: Only one-quarter of smokers in Pakistan attempt to quit smoking, and less than 3% are successful. In the absence of any literature from the country, this study aimed to explore factors motivating and strategies employed in successful smoking cessation attempts in Pakistan, a lower-middle-income country.
Methods: A survey was carried out in Karachi, Pakistan, amongst adult (≥ 18 years) former smokers (individuals who had smoked ≥100 cigarettes in their lifetime but who had successfully quit smoking for > 1 month at the time of survey). Multivariable logistic regression, with number of quit attempts (single vs. multiple) as the dependent variable, …