Author ORCID Identifier
Date Available
8-10-2022
Year of Publication
2022
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
College
Arts and Sciences
Department/School/Program
Psychology
Advisor
Dr. Jessica L. Burris
Abstract
The United States’ smoking prevalence has decreased substantially, but this public health improvement is unevenly distributed across the population. A promising individual-level approach to cancer control equity is to develop more acceptable and efficacious interventions that are widely disseminated to rural and other disadvantaged cancer survivors. Smoking cessation induction focuses not on long-term abstinence, but on engaging people in the process of making quit attempts and may be ideal for hard-to-reach populations. The aim of this pilot randomized controlled trial was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a smoking cessation induction intervention designed for rural cancer survivors. The treatment group received a free, 2-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy and brief advice pertinent to smoking cessation and resources for unmet needs; the control group received no medication. Participants (n=49; 51.0% male) were proactively recruited and procedures were accomplished via mail or phone. Data collection occurred pre-intervention (Day 0) with Days 30 and 60 follow-up. The accrual rate for the primary recruitment source (specifically, cancer registry) was 66.7%. Retention was 75.0% and 72.0% for the treatment and control groups. Across follow-up, the treatment group reported intention and confidence to quit (ps=.24-.55) and instances of 50% smoking reduction (p=.15) that were similar to the control group, though they reported more 24-hour quit attempts (p=.02). Treatment acceptability ratings were favorable; no serious adverse events reported. Future studies should consider alternative community-based recruitment strategies and interventions with greater intensity and more interaction to bolster and sustain early gains in motivation and behavior change.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2022.308
Recommended Citation
Bowling, William, "A PILOT RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL OF SMOKING CESSATION INDUCTION TREATMENT FOR RURAL, UNDERSERVED CANCER SURVIVORS ACROSS THE CONTINUUM OF MOTIVATION TO QUIT" (2022). Theses and Dissertations--Psychology. 221.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/psychology_etds/221
