Evaluation of a National Quit and Win Contest: Determinants for Successful Quitting

doi:10.1006/pmed.1997.0173

Preventive Medicine

Volume 26, Issue 4, July 1997, Pages 556-564

https://doi.org/10.1006/pmed.1997.0173 Get rights and content

Abstract

Background.Within the CINDI framework, a European “Quit and Win” contest was organized in 1994. In Finland the number of participants was 5,879 (0.6% of smokers). In the CINDI demonstration area, North Karelia (NK), the participants numbered 618 (2.0% of smokers). This study compared abstinence maintenance among the participants in NK with the rates found elsewhere in Finland and analyzed determinants for successful quitting.

Methods.A follow-up study was conducted 12 months after the quit date with a sample of 2,114 participants. Response rates of 67–68% were achieved (n= 1,419). The abstinence was assessed at 1, 6, and 12 months. Two estimates are presented: (1) the proportion of abstainers among the respondents and (2) the proportion of abstainers among the sample, considering all nonrespondents smokers. The determinants for maintenance of smoking cessation were analyzed with logistic regression.

Results.Using the first estimate, the rates at 1/6/12 months were 75/36/28% in NK and 70/28/21% elsewhere (P< 0.01). Using the second estimate, the corresponding rates were 50/24/19% in NK and 46/19/14% elsewhere. The most significant determinants for successful quitting were sex, age, marital status, level of withdrawal symptoms, previous quitting attempts, and support received.

Conclusions.The recruitment of smokers and the maintained cessation were more successful in the demonstration area. The difference between areas was explained by differences in the combined professional and lay support and by the sex and age distributions.

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Cited by (34)

Long term success of short smoking cessation seminars supported by occupational health care
2007, Addictive Behaviors
Citation Excerpt :
The determinants for successful quitting partly corroborate earlier results of Scandinavian studies on smokers who had entered a cessation contest (Tillgren, Haglund, Ainetdin, & Holm, 1995). Korhonen, Su, Korhonen, Uutela, and Puska (1997) list the following determinants as important: male sex, age > 40 years, living with a partner, low level of withdrawal symptoms, two or less previous quitting attempts, and support received from both health professionals and from lay persons (but not medication). We identified the non-smoking partner and the quitting work-mate as positive influences.
The objective of this longitudinal (3 year) study was to determine predictors of abstinence in 515 employees of a steel plant (28% female, age 18–67 years) after participation in Allen Carr seminars (intensive group counselling in a single session of 6 h). Answers given in computer aided phone interviews were analysed by stepwise and Cox regression. Of 510 responding persons 262 (51.4%) reported continuing abstinence. In a random sample of 61 respondents cotinine concentration in urine was measured, showing high agreement with smoking history. Social support increased abstinence, which was more persistent in males and office workers. Also in female participants the non-smoking spouse was a significant predictor for abstinence while a higher body weight predicted relapse. Relapsed female smokers did not show a sustainable reduction of cigarette consumption. Compared to cessation clinics higher population coverage would be achievable by workplace seminars. Every second smoker motivated to participate seems to be able to quit even without medication and to stay abstinent. Especially in females these seminars should be followed by physical exercise and continued support of gender specific occupational health care.
The diagnosis of a smoking-related disease is a prominent trigger for smoking cessation in a retrospective cohort study
2006, Journal of Clinical Epidemiology
Citation Excerpt :
In patients suffering severe diseases such as cancer or myocardial infarction, smoking cessation rates of 14% or even as high as 50% within the first year after diagnosis have been observed [6,7]. However, the relevance of health status and smoking-related diseases for cessation rates in the general population is still unclear, epidemiologic studies on this topic have, to date, produced inconsistent results [8–12]. Some of these studies, however, have included very broad definitions of health status rather than the occurrence of major smoking-related diseases, and none have evaluated the temporal association between disease onset and cessation in detail.
We evaluated the impact of demographic factors, smoking patterns, and the occurrence of smoking-related diseases on smoking cessation, with a particular emphasis on the temporal relationship between diagnosis of smoking-related diseases and cessation.
A cohort was assembled of participants of a general health screening examination aged 50–74 years. Lifetime smoking habits and medical history were obtained by a self-administered questionnaire. In a retrospective cohort study approach, predictors of cessation among ever-smokers (n = 4,575) were identified using the extended proportional hazards model.
Male gender, late onset of smoking, and higher educational level were predictive of cessation. However, the by far strongest predictors of cessation were diagnoses of smoking-related diseases: relative cessation rates in the year of disease occurrence were 11.2 for myocardial infarction (95% confidence interval CI = 8.9–14.0), 7.2 for stroke (95% CI = 5.1–11.6), 2.5 for diabetes mellitus (95% CI = 1.6–4.0) and 4.8 for cancer (95% CI = 3.1–7.4) relative to years before diagnosis of the respective diseases.
Our results underline the key role of perceived detrimental effects of smoking for cessation. When smokers personally experience the health consequences of smoking, many permanently quit.
Role of pharmacological aids and social supports in smoking cessation associated with Quebec's 2000 Quit and Win campaign
2004, Preventive Medicine
Background. This evaluation of the 2000 Quit and Win campaign in the province of Quebec, Canada, assessed the use and effectiveness of pharmacological aids, social support, and support resources (clinic program, support groups, books, telephone support) among contest participants. The reach of the contest was 1.3% of adult smokers: 20,400 participants.
Methods. Six months after the contest ended, 3,033 randomly selected participants completed telephone interviews about their smoking status and their use of nonform aids, social support, support resources, and pharmacological aids during their cessation attempt. Those who were abstinent from smoking were then reinterviewed 6 months later, that is, 12 months after the contest.
Results. Cessation rates were 66% at contest end, 36% at 6 months, and 22% at 12 months. Heavier smokers were somewhat more likely to have quit. Overall, 41% of respondents used any form of aid (support resources and pharmacological aids) in the first 6 months; among these, 42% used bupropion and 38% used nicotine patches. Those using bupropion were more likely to successfully quit smoking. Successful quitters rated the social support received from their buddy as more useful than did relapsers, and social support was unrelated to the use of pharmacological aids.
Conclusions. The results suggest that adequate investment in population-wide Quit and Win programs that provide a variety of appropriate aids to smokers, including social support and pharmacological products, can improve the reach of smokers.
The addition of social support to a community-based large-group behavioral smoking cessation intervention: Improved cessation rates and gender differences
2002, Addictive Behaviors
Objective: To determine the effects on cessation rates of adding a partner support group component to a large-group community-based behavioral smoking cessation program. Methods: During the past eight smoking cessation programs at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, separate support group sessions were offered for support persons of prospective quitters. Six hundred smokers brought 156 support people with them to the groups. Cessation rates were calculated at 3, 6, and 12 months postquit. Results: Those smokers who had support people attending at least one of the support group sessions had higher cessation rates at 3, 6, and 12 months (56%, 46%, and 43%) compared to those without a support person in attendance (36%, 35%, 32%). This effect was especially strong for men, with 3-, 6-, and 12-month cessation rates for those with support of 58%, 54%, and 56%, compared to 52%, 41%, and 36% in the women with support. For men without a support person, the rates were 34%, 35%, and 33%, compared to 38%, 35%, and 31% in women without support. This indicates that although support was initially effective for women, it had no effect on sustained abstinence. Conclusions: The addition of a support person group to a large-group behavioral smoking cessation program was effective in improving 3-month cessation rates in both men and women, but over 1-year of follow-up support was only associated with greater sustained abstinence in men.
Factors associated with smoking and alcohol consumption following treatment for head and neck cancer
2001, Oral Oncology
The study aim was to investigate the correlates of smoking and alcohol drinking in post-therapeutic head and neck (H&N) cancer patients. A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of 191 patients. Data were collected by interview and chart review. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlates of dependent variables. Higher education, living with one’s partner, later stage, laryngeal site and having surgery or combined therapy were associated with decreased odds for smoking. There was a significant trend for decreasing odds for smoking with increasing stage. Male gender, stage I disease and longer time since treatment were associated with increased odds for drinking alcohol. There was a significant trend for increased odds for drinking with increased time since treatment. These findings suggest that smoking and alcohol drinking have different patterns of associated variables in post-therapeutic H&N cancer patients, which has important implications for intervention design.
A community-wide smoking cessation program: Quit and win 1998 in Olmsted county
2001, Preventive Medicine
Background. Quit and Win is a community-wide stop smoking contest to help cigarette smokers stop smoking and educate the general public concerning smoking hazards.
Methods. All community residents, 15 years of age or older, were eligible to participate in either the stop smoking contest or the supporter contest. A random telephone survey to local households was conducted before and after the Quit and Win contest to assess the level of knowledge and attitude changes about smoking.
Results. Of the 304 smokers enrolled in the contest, 42% self-reported continuous tobacco abstinence for the 4-week contest period and 11% were abstinent at 1 year postcontest. Significant predictors for tobacco abstinence during the contest were formal education beyond high school, absence of other smokers in the household, having a support person enrolled in the support person contest, and the type of relationship that the support person had with their smoker. Survey results showed that this contest changed some local attitudes and increased general knowledge of smoking hazards.
Conclusions. Community-wide stop smoking contests can be used to engage smokers and their support in the community and can be successful in reducing tobacco use.

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Regular ArticleEvaluation of a National Quit and Win Contest: Determinants for Successful Quitting☆

Abstract

Prev Med

Prev Med

Prev Med

Health Policy

Lancet

Lancet

Prev Med

Trends in cigarette smoking cessation in the United States

Tobacco Control

UICC international “No-Smoking Day” in Central and Eastern Europe, 19 November 1992

Tobacco Control

Quitting smoking: strategies used and variables associated with success in a stop-smoking contest

J Consult Clin Psychol

The cost-effectiveness of three smoking cessation programs

Am J Public Health

A television format for national health promotion, Finland's “Keys to Health”

Public Health Rep

Combining mass media and contest in smoking cessation

Hygie

Quit and Win Wales: an evaluation of the 1990 pilot contest

Tobacco Control

Smokers' challenge: immediate and long-term findings of a community smoking cessation contest

Am J Public Health

Who is a successful quitter? One-year follow-up of a national Quit and Win contest in Sweden

Scand J Soc Med

Smoking cessation in Texas–Mexico border communities: a quasi-experimental panel study

Am J Health Promot

Regular Article
Evaluation of a National Quit and Win Contest: Determinants for Successful Quitting☆