Use of additional nicotine replacement therapy by participants in a five-year follow-up of a tobacco cessation trial

John A. Cunningham*, Vladyslav Kushnir, Peter Selby, Laurie Zawertailo, Rachel F. Tyndale, Scott T. Leatherdale, Alexandra Godinho, Christina Schell

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    Abstract

    Introduction: Using data from an extended follow-up of a randomized trial of mailed nicotine patches, the current secondary analysis explores the continued level of interest in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) as a means to promote tobacco cessation and whether the purchase of additional NRT was related to tobacco cessation. Methods: Attempts were made to re-contact participants (N = 999) from a randomized trial of mailed nicotine patches to take part in a five-year follow-up. Those contacted were asked about their current smoking status, interest in free-of-charge NRT, and purchase of other NRT in the time since the 6-month follow-up. Results: A total of 518 participants were successfully interviewed at the five-year time point. While 43.6% of these participants purchased additional NRT, this purchase was unrelated to success at tobacco cessation or to initial group randomization (received/did not received nicotine patches at baseline). Current smokers reported continued interest in receiving free-of charge NRT (77.2% were interested). Participants in the intervention group who reported using all of the nicotine patches they received at baseline (31.8%) were more likely to report purchasing additional NRT (54.9% versus 39.1%; p = .02) and to report not currently smoking at the five-year follow-up (46.2% versus 27.2%; p = .006) compared to those who used some or none of the nicotine patches mailed to them. Conclusions: The present study found no consistent evidence that NRT is related to long-term success at tobacco cessation. Smokers remain interested in NRT as a means to help them quit smoking.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article number106875
    JournalAddictive Behaviors
    Volume117
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Jun 2021

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