Abstract
Objectives
To identify predictors of nicotine withdrawal symptoms among smokers who participated in a randomized cessation trial in a low-income country.
Methods
We analyzed data from 269 smokers who participated in a randomized, placebo-controlled smoking cessation trial conducted in primary healthcare in Aleppo, Syria. All participants received behavioral counseling and were randomized to receive either 6 weeks of nicotine or placebo patch and were followed for one year.
Results
Throughout the study, lower total withdrawal score was associated with greater education (p = 0.044), older age of smoking initiation (p = 0.017), lower nicotine dependence (p = 0.024), higher confidence in ability to quit (p = 0.020), lower reported depression (p < 0.001), higher adherence to patch (p = 0.026), belief of receiving nicotine patches rather than placebo (p = 0.011), and waterpipe use (p = 0.047).
Conclusions
Lower nicotine dependence, greater educational attainment, higher confidence in ability to quit and waterpipe use predict lower withdrawal severity. Waterpipe smoking may serve as a barrier to smoking cessation efforts in countries where its use is highly prevalent. Further, expectancies about the effects of pharmacotherapy appear to mediate the experience of nicotine withdrawal.
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Ben Taleb, Z., Ward, K.D., Asfar, T. et al. Predictors of nicotine withdrawal symptoms: findings from the first randomized smoking cessation trial in a low-income country setting. Int J Public Health 61, 701–708 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-016-0818-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-016-0818-8