Sex differences in smoking cessation: a retrospective cohort study in a psychosocial care unit in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the results of epidemiological and psychometric studies reporting comparable levels of tobacco dependence among males and females, some clinical studies have detected disparities. Some smoking cessation studies based on clinical setting programs reported poorer outcomes among women than men. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare treatment success and retention between men and women on a smoking cessation program (n = 1,014) delivered at a CAPS-AD unit in Brazil. The psychological intervention lasted 6 weeks for each group of 15 patients. Each patient had to participate in weekly group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions and individual medical appointments during this period. These appointments were focused on the possibility of prescribing pharmacological treatment (i.e., nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, or nortriptyline) as adjuvants to group therapy. RESULTS: The women had lower smoking severity at baseline, more clinical symptoms, and lower prevalence of alcohol and drug use disorders and were older than the men. Females had significantly higher levels of success (36.6% vs. 29.7%) and retention (51.6% vs. 41.4%) than males. Sensitivity analysis showed that female gender was significantly associated with both retention and success, among those without drug use disorders only. CONCLUSION: Depending on the smoking cessation setting (i.e., low and middle-income countries and mental health and addiction care units), females can achieve similar and even higher quit rates than males. Previous drug use disorder was an important confounding variable in the gender outcomes analyses. Future studies should try to replicate these positive smoking cessation effects of CBT-based group therapy plus pharmacotherapy in women.

Sex differences in smoking cessation: a retrospective cohort study in a psychosocial care unit in Brazil

Abstract Introduction Despite the results of epidemiological and psychometric studies reporting comparable levels of tobacco dependence among males and females, some clinical studies have detected disparities. Some smoking cessation studies based on clinical setting programs reported poorer outcomes among women than men. Methods This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare treatment success and retention between men and women on a smoking cessation program (n = 1,014) delivered at a CAPS-AD unit in Brazil. The psychological intervention lasted 6 weeks for each group of 15 patients. Each patient had to participate in weekly group cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) sessions and individual medical appointments during this period. These appointments were focused on the possibility of prescribing pharmacological treatment (i.e., nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, or nortriptyline) as adjuvants to group therapy. Results The women had lower smoking severity at baseline, more clinical symptoms, and lower prevalence of alcohol and drug use disorders and were older than the men. Females had significantly higher levels of success (36.6% vs. 29.7%) and retention (51.6% vs. 41.4%) than males. Sensitivity analysis showed that female gender was significantly associated with both retention and success, among those without drug use disorders only. Conclusion Depending on the smoking cessation setting (i.e., low and middle-income countries and mental health and addiction care units), females can achieve similar and even higher quit rates than males. Previous drug use disorder was an important confounding variable in the gender outcomes analyses. Future studies should try to replicate these positive smoking cessation effects of CBT-based group therapy plus pharmacotherapy in women.

Is self-reported 7-day point prevalence abstinence an useful measure for smoking cessation effectiveness among individuals with mental disorders?

Smoking rates among individuals with mental disorders are higher compared to general population. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a smoking cessation treatment among individuals with and without mental disorders. Self-report 7-day point prevalence was used to assess abstinence status among 'intention to treat' (n = 1,213) and 'completers-only' (n = 578) samples. Participants were distributed in (1) ND-only; (2) ND and other substance use disorder (ND-SUD); (3) ND associated with mental disorder but no other SUD (ND-MD); and (4) co-morbid ND, SUD and MD (ND-SUMD). The treatment program was composed by six weeks of group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and medical consultations. Multivariate logistic regression models were applied. Rates of abstinence between ND-only and both ND-MD and ND-SUMD differed in the 'intention-to-treat' sample, with the former group showing the best rate (62.5%, 48% and 45.4% respectively). ND-SUD had the second-best rate of abstinence (56.1%). Differences between groups were not observed among 'completers-only'. Self-report 7-day point prevalence abstinence is economical and reliable to be used in low to middle-income countries. In this study, it showed that the 6-week smoking cessation treatment had a positive effect among completers, which supports the importance of investing in treatment to decrease smoking prevalence in this population.

Effect of BMI on Prolonged Abstinence after Smoking Cessation Treatment: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Despite the well-documented relationship between weight gain and poorer cessation outcomes among smokers, the role of the former (baseline) weight in smoking cessation is insufficiently investigated. We hypothesized that patients with higher baseline body mass index( BMI) have a worse prognosis in tobacco cessation. OBJECTIVES: This retrospective clinical cohort study aimed to investigate the role of the baseline BMI on abstinence over 12 months after participation in smoking cessation treatment conducted in a middle-income country (n = 664). METHODS: Data from a 6-week smoking cessation protocol performed in a Psychosocial Care Unit (CAPS) were used. The protocol included four medical consultations and six Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) group sessions. Initially, 1,213 participants were evaluated for the study, but only the participants whose telephone contact was successful were included in the outcome analyses. The attrition rate was 45.3%. Continuous and categorical (normal, overweight, and obesity) BMI values were computed. Survival regression models were used to test the associations between BMI and the 12-month abstinence outcome. Self-report 4-week abstinence at the end of treatment was also investigated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Baseline BMI had no significant effect on both short (4-week-point abstinence) and long (12-month prolonged abstinence) treatment outcomes. CONCLUSION: The possible influence of the baseline BMI on smoking cessation outcomes, especially considering prolonged abstinence, was not corroborated by our results. Regardless of our results, the detrimental health outcomes due to the combination of obesity/overweight and smoking justify that these subgroups of individuals be continuously targeted for adequate smoking prevention and treatment.

Abstinence and retention outcomes in a smoking cessation program among individuals with co-morbid substance use and mental disorders.

Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the world. Although cigarette smoking prevalence has decreased, there are still disparities in morbidity and mortality experienced by individuals with substance use and/or mental disorders when compared to general population. The aim of this study was to compare treatment outcomes between three subgroups of smokers: individuals with substance use disorder (SUD-only), individuals with mental disorder without substance use disorders (MD-only), and individuals with co-morbid substance use and mental disorder (SUD + MD). Data of 498 smokers enrolled in a 6-week smoking cessation program in Brazil were analyzed. Sociodemographic, medical and tobacco use information were collected at baseline. Treatment included group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacotherapy. The primary outcome was defined as "self-report 4-week quitter" (SR4WQ), a standardized measure to assess treatment success. Retention to treatment was also investigated. Associations between groups were analyzed using unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression models. The results showed that SUD + MD had worse outcomes when compared to the other two groups. After adjusting for level of smoking dependence and the use of medication, abstinence and retention to treatment of SUD-only became equivalent to SUD + MD. Because tobacco and other substance addictions share similar mechanisms, having history of SUD might impair successful results of conventional smoking programs. There is a need to further investigate specific variables associated with treatment success for a more resistant subgroup of individuals in mental health and perhaps to invest in more intensive actions, such as the use of combined pharmacotherapy and adapted CBT approaches.

Smoking cessation treatment outcomes among people with and without mental and substance use disorders: An observational real-world study.

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of studies evaluating smoking cessation treatment protocols which include people with and without mental and substance use disorders (MSUD), and which allows for individuals with MSUD undergoing their psychiatric treatment. METHODS: We compared treatment success between participants with (n = 277) and without (n = 419) MSUD among patients in a 6-week treatment provided by a Brazilian Psychosocial Care Center (CAPS) from 2007 to 2013. Sociodemographic, medical and tobacco use characteristics were assessed at baseline. Tobacco treatment consisted of 1) group cognitive behavior therapy, which included people with and without MSUD in the same groups, and 2) pharmacotherapy, which could include either nicotine patches, nicotine gum, bupropion or nortriptyline. For participants with MSUD, tobacco treatment was integrated into their ongoing mental health treatment. The main outcome was 30-day point prevalence abstinence, measured at last day of treatment. RESULTS: Abstinence rates did not differ significantly between participants with and without MSUD (31.1% and 34.4%, respectively). Variables that were significantly associated with treatment success included years smoking, the Heaviness of Smoking Index, and use of nicotine patch or bupropion. CONCLUSION: The inclusion of individuals with and without MSUD in the same protocol, allowing for individuals with MSUD undergoing their psychiatric treatment, generates at least comparable success rates between the groups. Predictors of treatment success were similar to those found in the general population. Facilities that treat patients with MSUD should treat tobacco use in order to reduce the disparities in morbidity and mortality experienced by this population.