Quitting Behavior and Characteristics of Youth Smokers in Treatment Compared to Non Treatment Seekers

Background: Little is known about the characteristics of youth smokers who seek treatment. We describe a cohort of adolescent treatment seekers, and compare them to a cohort of youth smokers who have not sought treatment. Methods: The Helping Young Smokers Quit initiative conducted baseline interviews with 878 youth who were enrolled in one of 41 community-based smoking cessation programs across 18 states in the US. The National Youth Smoking Cessation Survey conducted baseline interviews with a nationally representative sample of 678 youth smokers. Both projects followed smokers with 12-month surveys. Baseline characteristics and follow-up smoking status are compared across cohorts. Results: Both samples were comparable in demographic composition. Treatment seekers were more likely to report below average school performance, compared to non-treatment seekers. On average, treatment seekers began smoking at a younger age, were more likely to be daily smokers and to have smoked 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Over 60% of treatment seekers reported smoking within 30 minutes of waking, compared to approximately 45% of non-treatment seekers. 44% of treatment seekers planned to quit in the next 30 days, compared to 30% of non-treatment seekers, but confidence in quitting was approximately equal across groups. Approximately 25% of each group had tried pharmacotherapy to quit. At 12-month follow-up 79% of treatment seekers were current smokers, compared to 86% of non-treatment seekers. Discussion: Treatment seekers had more symptoms of addiction than non-treatment seekers. Comparison of outcomes and factors associated with abstinence at 12-month follow up will be presented.