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Nicotine & Tobacco Research Advance Access originally published online on September 24, 2009
Nicotine & Tobacco Research 2009 11(11):1374-1377; doi:10.1093/ntr/ntp137
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

A comparison of abstinence outcomes among gay/bisexual and heterosexual male smokers in an intensive, non-tailored smoking cessation study

Lirio S. Covey, Judith Weissman, Catherine LoDuca and Naihua Duan

Lirio S. Covey, Ph.D., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Naihua Duan, Ph.D., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY
Judith Weissman, Ph.D., Rutgers University Institute for Health, Health Care Policy, and Aging Research, New Brunswick, NJ
Catherine LoDuca, B.A., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY

Corresponding Author: Lirio S. Covey, Ph.D., New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University Medical Center, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, USA. Telephone: 212-543-5736; Fax: 212-543-8635; E-mail: lsc3{at}columbia.edu


  Abstract

Introduction: Smoking rates are higher among lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) than heterosexual (HT) individuals. However, there is scant information regarding smoking cessation treatments and outcomes in LGB populations. This study examined abstinence outcome in response to a high intensity smoking cessation program not specifically tailored to LGB smokers.

Methods: A total of 54 gay/bisexual (GB) and 243 HT male smokers received 8-week open treatment with nicotine patch, bupropion, and counseling. Participants reported biologically verified abstinence at multiple time points during the study.

Results: Demographic, smoking, and psychological characteristics at baseline were similar according to sexual orientation. During the first 2 weeks after quit day, abstinence rates were higher among GB smokers (Week 1: GB = 89%, HT = 82%; Week 2: GB = 77%, HT = 68%; ps < .05); abstinence rates converged subsequently, becoming nearly identical at the end of treatment (Week 8, GB = 59% vs. HT = 57%). In mixed effects longitudinal analysis of end-of-treatment outcome, sexual orientation (b = 1.40, SEM = 0.73, p = .056) and the Sexual Orientation x Time interaction (b = –0.146; SEM = 0.08, p = .058) approached statistical significance, reflecting the higher initial abstinence rates among GB smokers and the later convergence in abstinence rates by sexual orientation.

Discussion: This first report comparing smoking cessation treatment response by sexual orientation found higher initial and similar end-of-treatment abstinence rates in GB and HT smokers. Further work is needed to determine whether these observations from GB smokers who displayed a willingness to attend a non-tailored program and broad similarity with their HT counterparts in many baseline characteristics will replicate in other groups of GB smokers.

Received: January 26, 2009; Accepted: July 3, 2009
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