Abstract

Background: This is the first study to examine predictors of successful cessation in African American light smokers treated within a placebo-controlled trial of bupropion. Methods: We analyzed data from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of bupropion and health education for 540 African American light smokers. African American light smokers were randomly assigned to receive 150. mg bid bupropion SR or placebo for 7. weeks. All participants received health education counseling at weeks 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7. Using chi-square tests, two sample t-tests, and multiple logistic regression analyses, we examined baseline psychosocial and smoking characteristics as predictors of cotinine-verified 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence among study participants at the end treatment and at the end of follow-up. Results: Participants who received bupropion were significantly more likely to quit smoking compared to those who received placebo. Greater study session attendance, and smoking non-menthol cigarettes increased the likelihood of quitting ; while longer years of smoking and higher baseline cotinine significantly reduced the odds of quitting at Week 7. Conversely, at the end of follow-up, treatment with bupropion vs. placebo was not significantly associated with quitting and type of cigarette smoked did not appear in the final logistic regression model. Greater study session attendance ; BMI ; and weight efficacy increased the likelihood of quitting at Week 26. Similar to our findings at Week 7, longer years of smoking and higher baseline cotinine significantly reduced the odds of quitting at Week 26. Conclusions: Baseline cotinine levels, number of years smoked and study session attendance are associated with both short- and long-term smoking cessation, while bupropion and the type of cigarette smoked were associated with quitting on short term only. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.