Do post-quitting experiences predict smoking relapse among former smokers in Australia and the United Kingdom? Findings from the International Tobacco Control Surveys

TY - JOUR

T1 - Do post-quitting experiences predict smoking relapse among former smokers in Australia and the United Kingdom? Findings from the International Tobacco Control Surveys

AU - Gorniak, Bradley

AU - Yong, Hua Hie

AU - Borland, Ron

AU - Cummings, K. Michael

AU - Thrasher, James F.

AU - McNeill, Ann

AU - Hyland, Andrew

AU - Fong, Geoffrey T.

N1 - Funding Information: The ITC Four Country Survey is supported by multiple grants, including R01 CA 100362, P01 CA138389 and P01 CA200512, all funded by the National Cancer Institute of the United States, Canadian Institutes of Health Research (MOP‐115016), National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (APP1005922; APP1106451). Additional support is provided to GTF by a Senior Investigator Award from the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (IA‐004) and the Canadian Cancer Society O. Harold Warwick Prize. AH is supported by a Tobacco Centers of Regulatory Sciences US National Cancer Institute grant (U54 CA238110). Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Australasian Professional Society on Alcohol and other Drugs.

PY - 2021/12/9

Y1 - 2021/12/9

N2 - Introduction: Many smokers attempt to stop smoking every year, but the vast majority of quit attempts fail. This study examined prospectively the association between post-quitting experiences and smoking relapse among ex-smokers in Australia and the United Kingdom. Methods: Data came from 584 adult ex-smokers from Australia and the United Kingdom who participated in Wave 9 of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey and successfully followed up a year later (Wave 10). Binary logistic regression was used to examine whether baseline post-quitting experiences predicted relapse back to smoking at follow-up. Results: Ex-smokers who perceived their stress coping ability had gotten worse since quitting were more likely to relapse back to smoking compared to their counterparts who reported no change (odds ratio = 5.77, 95% confidence interval = 1.64, 20.31, P < 0.01). Ex-smokers who reported their homes had become fresher and cleaner post quitting were less likely to relapse compared to those who did not notice any change (odds ratio = 0.34, 95% confidence interval = 0.13, 0.93, P < 0.05). Perceived changes in life enjoyment, negative affect control, social confidence, work performance, leisure time and financial situation did not independently predict relapse. No country differences were found. Discussion and Conclusions: The study showed that ex-smokers' relapse risk was elevated if they perceived any negative impact of quitting on their stress coping whereas relapse risk was reduced if they perceived any positive impact of quitting on the home (e.g. fresher and cleaner). Helping ex-smokers to develop alternative stress coping strategies and highlighting the positive impacts of quitting smoking on the homes may help protect against smoking relapse.

AB - Introduction: Many smokers attempt to stop smoking every year, but the vast majority of quit attempts fail. This study examined prospectively the association between post-quitting experiences and smoking relapse among ex-smokers in Australia and the United Kingdom. Methods: Data came from 584 adult ex-smokers from Australia and the United Kingdom who participated in Wave 9 of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey and successfully followed up a year later (Wave 10). Binary logistic regression was used to examine whether baseline post-quitting experiences predicted relapse back to smoking at follow-up. Results: Ex-smokers who perceived their stress coping ability had gotten worse since quitting were more likely to relapse back to smoking compared to their counterparts who reported no change (odds ratio = 5.77, 95% confidence interval = 1.64, 20.31, P < 0.01). Ex-smokers who reported their homes had become fresher and cleaner post quitting were less likely to relapse compared to those who did not notice any change (odds ratio = 0.34, 95% confidence interval = 0.13, 0.93, P < 0.05). Perceived changes in life enjoyment, negative affect control, social confidence, work performance, leisure time and financial situation did not independently predict relapse. No country differences were found. Discussion and Conclusions: The study showed that ex-smokers' relapse risk was elevated if they perceived any negative impact of quitting on their stress coping whereas relapse risk was reduced if they perceived any positive impact of quitting on the home (e.g. fresher and cleaner). Helping ex-smokers to develop alternative stress coping strategies and highlighting the positive impacts of quitting smoking on the homes may help protect against smoking relapse.

KW - Australia

KW - ex-smoker

KW - post-quitting experience

KW - relapse risk

KW - United Kingdom

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85120793749&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/dar.13419

DO - 10.1111/dar.13419

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85120793749

SN - 0959-5236

JO - Drug and Alcohol Review

JF - Drug and Alcohol Review

ER -