Debunking myths about self-quitting: Evidence from 10 prospective studies of persons who attempt to quit smoking by themselves.
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Discussion
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Implication
Prospective study analysis reveals low single-attempt success and high relapse in self-quitters, indicating that smoking cessation is an ongoing dynamic process rather than a discrete event.
Key Points
- To examine success rates, relapse patterns, and predictors of smoking cessation among individuals attempting to quit smoking on their own.
- Synthesized data across 10 long-term prospective studies evaluating individuals attempting self-quitting (N > 5,000).
- Evaluated single quit attempt success rates, smoking intensity (light vs. heavy), timing of cessation, relapse after 6 months of abstinence, and history of prior quit attempts.
- Light smokers (≤ 20 cigarettes per day) were 2.2 times more likely to successfully quit than heavy smokers, while overall single-attempt success rates were not superior to formal treatment programs.
- A median of 2.7% of participants initiated successful long-term quitting after the initial study window, but participants with 6 months of abstinence experienced a median relapse rate of 24%.
- The number of prior unsuccessful quit attempts did not predict future success, and occasional smoking slips were rare among sustained long-term quitters.
Cite This Study
Cohen et al. (1989) studied this question.