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June 24, 2025
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Smoking cessation treatment outcomes before and during the covid-19 pandemic in people with and without mental health disorders.

Publicated to:Journal Of Studies On Alcohol And Drugs. - 2025-06-18 (), DOI: 10.15288/jsad.24-00405

Authors: Nieva G; Sisternas N; Mondon S; Ballbè M; Carcolé B; Fernández T; Guillen P; Martínez-Picó A; Rofes L; Mesalles A; Castellano Y; Pinet C

Affiliations

Addictions Treatment Center Horta, C. Sacedón 18, 08032 Barcelona, Spain. - Author
Addictions Treatment Center Sabadell, Parc del Taulí, 1 - 08208 Sabadell (Barcelona), Spain. - Author
Addictions Treatment Center Tarragona, Av. del Dr. Mallafrè 4, 43005 Tarragona, Spain. - Author
Addictions Unit, Psychiatry Department, Institute of Neurosciences, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, C Villarroel 170, 08036 Barcelona, Spain. - Author
Addictive Behaviors Unit, Psychiatry Department, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, C. San Antoni Mª Claret 167, 08025 Barcelona, Spain. - Author
Department of Psychiatry, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Vall d'Hebron Barcelona Hospital Campus, Passeig Vall d'Hebron 119-129, 08035 Barcelona, Spain. - Author
Mental Health and Addictions Department, Hospital de Mataró, C. de Cirera 230, 08304 Mataró, Spain. - Author
Pneumology Department, University Hospital of Sant Joan, Av. del Doctor Josep Laporte, 43204 Reus (Tarragona), Spain. - Author
Smoking Cessation Unit, Vallès Oriental Primary Care Center, Institut Català de la Salut, Generalitat de Catalunya, Av. de Rivoli 7, 08100 Mollet del Vallès (Barcelona), Spain. - Author
Tobacco Control Unit, Cancer Control and Prevention Program, Institut Català d'Oncologia-ICO, Av Gran Via de L'Hospitalet 199-203, 08908 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain. - Author
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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic likely heightened stress in smokers undergoing cessation treatment, while healthcare services faced challenges in maintaining interventions during the pre-vaccination phase. This study compares smoking cessation outcomes before and during the pandemic in individuals with and without mental health disorders and identifies variables associated with abstinence. A naturalistic longitudinal design with a one-year follow-up was used. Smoking quit rates and time to relapse in participants who received a multicomponent cessation intervention before the lockdown (2019 group, n=147) were compared with those during the pandemic (2020 group, n=120). The sample was 53.6% female, mean age of 58.2, and 79.4% had a comorbid mental disorder. One-year quit rates and time to relapse were similar between the 2019 and 2020 groups (51% vs. 50.8%; 225.3 vs. 221.6 days, respectively). A mental health history did not affect outcomes. Smokers aged 55 or older had higher quit rates during the pandemic than younger smokers (61% vs. 41%) and no differences were found between in-person and telematic interventions. Smoking cessation rates were similar before and during the pandemic, regardless of mental health status, and the increased use of telematic visits could be considered after the pandemic era. Older age was only associated with abstinence during the pandemic; highlighting the need for research on improving outcomes in younger populations undergoing treatment during stressful times. Identifying modifiable variables associated with abstinence can help smoking cessation services implement strategies to prevent relapse.

Keywords

Covid-19Mental disordersRemote consultationSmoking cessationSubstance abuse treatment centers

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Journal Of Studies On Alcohol And Drugs due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category .