The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #45707

K. Michael Cummings, PhD, MPH¹, Andrew Hyland, PhD¹, Joseph Bauer, PhD¹, Qiang Li¹, and Gary Giovino, PhD². (1) Cancer Prevention, Epidemiology & Biostatistics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263, 716-845-8456, Michael.Cummings@RoswellPark.org, (2) Cancer Prevention, Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263

OBJECTIVE: The COMMIT intervention increased quit rates among light to moderate smokers. The purpose of this study is to assess the long-term impact of the COMMIT intervention on indicators of cessation behavior to determine if this effect persisted over time.

METHODS: The Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation was a randomized community-based trial that took place from 1988 to 1993 to assess the efficacy of a multifaceted approach to increase cessation rates in the population. Initial results indicate that COMMIT had a statistically significant 3% difference in cessation rates of light to moderate smokers, but no effects on heavy smokers. In this study, we administered a telephone interview in 2001 to 13,544 who originally were part of the COMMIT study and who had already completed tobacco use surveys in 1988 and 1993. 7,329 subjects were successfully re-interviewed in 2001. Outcome measures considered include quit attempts, six-month cessation, amount smoked, reduction in amount smoked, use of nicotine replacement therapy, and use of low-tar cigarettes.

RESULTS: Crude analyses indicate no overall difference in quitting or quit attempts, and no differences were observed in persons who were light to moderate or heavy smokers at baseline. Additional analyses will be presented on the effect of COMMIT on other indicators of cessation (e.g., switch to low tar, decrease amount smoke), and we will examine whether effects exist for specific demographic subgroups.

SIGNIFICANCE: Current tobacco control program development will benefit from a better understanding of the long-term effects of past large-scale community-based tobacco control efforts.

Learning Objectives:

• To understand community-based approaches to tobacco control and their long-term effects.

Keywords: Tobacco Control, Tobacco Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.