Gender Differences in Predictors for Long-term Smoking Cessation Following Physician Advice and Nicotine Replacement Therapy

We evaluated gender differences in demographic, smoking history, nicotine dependence, transtheoretical, and perceived stress variables as predictors of smoking cessation. Participants (n=381) smoked at least 15 cigarettes per day and were motivated to quit. The outcome variable was 7-day abstinence at 1-year follow-up. Predictor variables included: age, education level, number of years smoking, cigarettes per day, quit attempts, nicotine dependence, stage of change, decisional balance, processes of change, self-efficacy, and perceived stress. Logistic regression analysis was used to derive predictive models for women and men. In women, lower scores for pre- and mid-treatment perceived stress significantly increased the likelihood of being abstinent at follow-up. For men, a higher level of education or number of quit attempts lasting >24 hours in the past year, along with less frequent use of behavioural processes of change at baseline increased the probability of being abstinent at follow-up.