Abstract LB-252: Group-based smoking cessation treatment for incarcerated men: A pilot study

Abstract

Introduction. Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality that contributes to over six million deaths worldwide and is projected to cause more than eight million deaths per year by 2030. Overall cigarette smoking rates in the United States (U.S.) is estimated at 14%, but this number increases to 50-83% of smokers within correctional populations. Methods. Using a cohort study design, sixteen incarcerated male smokers from a Northeastern state maximum prison facility in the U.S. participated in a 4-week group-based smoking cessation treatment program with nicotine replacement therapy and a one-month follow-up period to determine quit behaviors and abstinence. The goal of this pilot study was to explore the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of a smoking cessation group treatment intervention for incarcerated smokers where tobacco products are permitted. Results. In this feasibility study, the average age of participants enrolled was 43 (SD = 13.69), and their first incarceration was at 19 (SD = 7.30). The majority of the participants identified as African American/Black (62.5%), 31.3% identified as Caucasian/White, and 6.3% identified as Hispanic/Latino as their race/ethnicity. The average age where individuals started smoking was 13.8 (SD = 3.2) and the total number of years smoked is 25.6 (SD = 14.9). The mean of cigarettes smoked each day was 13.0 (SD = 9.8). More than half of the people in the study indicated that they relight their cigarettes. Additionally, the two brands that participants indicated as their favorite were Kite (18.8%) and Newport (68.8%). Of all the participants, 87.5% indicated that they smoked menthol cigarettes. Majority of the participants indicated the importance of quitting tobacco (8.80 ± 1.82) and that they had a very difficult time during their previous quit attempts (43.8%). Previous quit attempts included forced abstinence while in solitary confinement or administrative segregation. At the 4-week follow up period, half of the participants that were enrolled in the group-based smoking cessation treatment and completed the program indicated that they did not smoke or use tobacco in the past 7-days or since their initial quit date (50.0%). Conclusion. Group-based smoking cessation treatment should be prioritized as an effective intervention to aid incarcerated smokers to quit smoking. This study builds upon our growing knowledge of tobacco dependence and smoking cessation treatment, with a focus on individuals involved in the criminal justice system. Citation Format: Pamela Valera, Nicholas Acuna. Group-based smoking cessation treatment for incarcerated men: A pilot study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-252.