Prevalence of unassisted quit attempts in population-based studies: a systematic review of the literature

Sarah A Edwards; Susan J Bondy; Russell C Callaghan; Robert E Mann

doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.10.036

Prevalence of unassisted quit attempts in population-based studies: a systematic review of the literature

Addict Behav. 2014 Mar;39(3):512-9. doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.10.036. Epub 2013 Nov 16.

Authors

Sarah A Edwards¹, Susan J Bondy², Russell C Callaghan³, Robert E Mann⁴

Affiliations

¹ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada. Electronic address: sarah.edwards@mail.utoronto.ca.
² Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada.
³ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada; Northern Medical Program, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada; Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S1, Canada.
⁴ Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, 155 College Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T 3M7, Canada; Northern Medical Program, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada.

PMID: 24333037
DOI: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2013.10.036

Abstract

Aims: The idea that most smokers quit without formal assistance is widely accepted, however, few studies have been referenced as evidence. The purpose of this study is to systematically review the literature to determine what proportion of adult smokers report attempting to quit unassisted in population-based studies.

Methods: A four stage strategy was used to conduct a search of the literature including searching 9 electronic databases (PUBMED, MEDLINE (OVID) (1948-), EMBASE (1947-), CINAHL, ISI Web of Science with conference proceedings, PsycINFO (1806-), Scopus, Conference Papers Index, and Digital Dissertations), the gray literature, online forums and hand searches.

Results: A total of 26 population-based prevalence studies of unassisted quitting were identified, which presented data collected from 1986 through 2010, in 9 countries. Unassisted quit attempts ranged from a high of 95.3% in a study in Christchurch, New Zealand, between 1998 and 1999, to a low of 40.6% in a national Australian study conducted between 2008 and 2009. In 24 of the 26 studies reviewed, a majority of quit attempts were unassisted.

Conclusions: This systematic review demonstrates that a majority of quit attempts in population-based studies to date are unassisted. However, across and within countries over time, it appears that there is a trend toward lower prevalence of making quit attempts without reported assistance or intervention.

Keywords: Prevalence studies; Quitting; Smoking; Unassisted quit attempts.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Prevalence
Smoking / epidemiology*
Smoking Cessation / statistics & numerical data*

Grants and funding

Canadian Institutes of Health Research/Canada