Your Health

Educational Tools Can Help Correct Public Misperceptions on the Benefits of Smoking Cessation Methods

Posted: 10/18/2011

(NAPSI)—Misperceptions about the health effects of smoking cessation treatments such as nicotine patches and other nicotine replacement therapies are common. Findings from a study, fielded in partnership by GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare (GSK) and Legacy®, and published in a recent issue of the journal Addictive Behaviors, indicates that smokers are misinformed about the safety and efficacy of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). However, most smokers reported an interest in learning more about NRT and said they would be more likely to try it if they had evidence that it was safe to use.

“The data indicate a need to further inform smokers about the methods that can effectively help them quit,” said Saul Shiffman, Ph.D., professor in the departments of psychology and pharmaceutical science at the University of Pittsburgh and senior scientific advisor at Pinney Associates, which provides consulting services to GlaxoSmithKline. “Of particular note, 84 percent of respondents requested feedback on their incorrect answers in the survey, suggesting smokers want information regarding quitting and are interested in learning about the safety and efficacy of cessation strategies.”

Knowledge regarding the safety and efficacy of NRT, as reported by survey respondents, was commonly inaccurate. Specifically, 93 percent of smokers did not know that smoking while wearing the nicotine patch does not cause heart attacks. In addition, 76 percent of smokers did not know nicotine gum and lozenges are not as addictive as cigarettes. Further, 69 percent of smokers did not know that NRT products are not as harmful as cigarettes. However, more than half of interested quitters who held these misperceptions reported they would be more likely to use NRT to help them quit smoking if they were shown accurate safety information.

“These findings represent a tremendous public health opportunity to save lives,” said Jane Allen, a researcher on the study and senior research associate at Legacy. “If we can better communicate with smokers about the safety of NRT, we may be able to increase NRT use and—as a result—help to increase successful, long-term quitting.”

Many smokers need help to quit successfully. NRT products, such as the Nicorette® gum and lozenge and NicoDerm® CQ® patch, are recommended as first-line treatments for smoking addiction in the U.S. and can reliably increase long-term smoking abstinence rates and double a smoker’s chances of quitting over using nothing to aid in their quit attempt. When used as directed, these FDA-approved medications are proven safe and effective to help smokers quit.

The analysis, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, included a survey of 900 men and women adult smokers in the U.S., and was fielded in July 2007 by Richard Day Research through an online panel, screening for adults age 18 and over who smoked cigarettes every day. The data were weighted to adjust for age, ethnicity and gender using estimates from the 2006 National Health Interview Survey. The “average” respondent in the survey was 43 years of age, had been smoking for an average of 16 years and smoked 20 cigarettes per day. Only 16 percent of respondents had never tried to quit.

For helpful information about quitting and to connect with other smokers interested in quitting, there are several online resources that can help: www.BecomeAnEX.org, www.LegacyforHealth.org, www.Nicorette.com and www.facebook.com/Nicorette.
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Disclosure: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare funded the underlying study that this manuscript is based on, and provided financial support to Dr. Ferguson, Mr. Gitchell, Dr. Shiffman, Mr. Sembower and Dr. Rohay for the preparation of the manuscript itself. Dr. Shiffman and Mr. Gitchell are consultants for GSK and work for GSK on an ongoing basis. The sponsor reviewed the manuscript, but had no role in its drafting. Dr. Shiffman and Mr. Gitchell also have an interest in a venture to develop a new nicotine replacement medication.

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