Sex differences in cigarette smoking following a mindfulness-based cessation randomized controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to determine whether mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for smoking cessation had sex-specific effects on smoking outcomes.
Results Summary
The study found a significant sex-intervention interaction effect for daily cigarettes smoked, with females in the MBI group smoking fewer cigarettes than those in the control group, but no significant effects on complete 7-day point prevalence abstinence or proportion of days abstinent. Males showed significantly less use of the MBI app compared to the control app.
Population
Adults recruited from California participating in a smoking cessation study (N = 213, 55-56% female).
Effective Dosage
Daily 14-day app-based intervention.
Duration
14 days of intervention, with smoking outcomes assessed over the following 4 weeks.
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for smoking cessation | no change | outcomes | - | - | lack formal reporting of sex-intervention tests of interaction | #1 |
daily 14-day app-based mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) with a quit plan and quit aid workbook | decrease | daily cigarettes smoked | female participants | IRR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.57-0.81 | significant sex-intervention interaction effect | #2 |
daily 14-day app-based mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) with a quit plan and quit aid workbook | increase | daily cigarettes smoked | male participants | IRR = 1.14, 95% CI: 0.95-1.37 | significant sex-intervention interaction effect | #3 |
daily 14-day app-based mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) with a quit plan and quit aid workbook | no change | complete 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA) | - | OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 0.31-4.89, p = 0.76 | no significant sex-intervention interaction effect | #4 |
daily 14-day app-based mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) with a quit plan and quit aid workbook | no change | proportion of total days abstinent | - | OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 0.53-7.37, p = 0.31 | no significant sex-intervention interaction effect | #5 |
daily app-based MBI with a quit plan and quit aid workbook | decrease | daily cigarettes smoked | females | - | smoked fewer cigarettes per day | #6 |
daily app-based MBI with a quit plan and quit aid workbook | decrease | app use | males | - | showed significantly less use | #7 |
Some interventions for smoking cessation such as quit smoking aids show sex-specific effects on outcomes, but behavioral interventions such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) for smoking cessation lack formal reporting of sex-intervention tests of interaction to date. To address this gap, we conducted a secondary analysis of a RCT dataset (N = 213), recruiting participants from California, to statistically test a sex-intervention interaction effect on complete 7-day point prevalence abstinence (PPA), proportion of days abstinent, and daily cigarettes smoked. Smoking was assessed using the timeline follow back method spanning the four weeks following a daily 14-day app-based intervention and a planned smoking quit date immediately following the intervention phase. All models adjusted for baseline nicotine dependence. The study groups had comparable sex proportions (MBI: 56 % female; control: 55 % female) and the ratio of outcome assessment completion by group was not dependent on sex. Adjusted analyses revealed a significant sex-intervention interaction effect for daily cigarettes smoked ([female coded 1]: two-way interaction effect IRR = 0.59, 95 % CI: 0.46-0.77, p < 0.0001; effect for female: IRR = 0.68, 95 % CI: 0.57-0.81, effect for male: IRR = 1.14, 95 % CI: 0.95-1.37), but not for complete 7-day PPA ([female coded 1] two-way interaction effect OR = 1.24, 95 % CI: 0.31-4.89, p = 0.76) or proportion of total days abstinent ([female coded 1] two-way interaction effect OR = 1.97, 95 % CI: 0.53-7.37, p = 0.31). Females, but not males, allocated to a daily app-based MBI with a quit plan and quit aid workbook smoked fewer cigarettes per day compared to females in the control group. Males, but not females, showed significantly less use of the MBI app compared to the control app.