The effect of placebo tailoring on smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research has found that smoking cessation messages can be designed to appear as tailored (placebo tailored) and result in superior outcomes compared to standard messages. In the current study, we aimed (a) to test the efficacy of placebo tailoring for smoking cessation and (b) to examine the influence of cognitive processing style. METHOD: In a 2-arm randomized controlled trial, 424 smokers (M = 19.66 cigarettes per day) from the community (57% female, 30% Caucasian, 40% African American, 29% Hispanic; mean age = 42 years) were randomly assigned to receive 4 placebo-tailored booklets or 4 standard booklets over 3 months. Participants completed a measure of systematic versus heuristic cognitive processing style at baseline. The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence abstinence (ppa). Twenty-eight-day continuous abstinence, content evaluations, and readiness to quit were secondary outcomes. We hypothesized that placebo tailoring would be superior to standard materials and that the effect would be moderated by cognitive processing style (systematic and heuristic). RESULTS: As expected, placebo tailoring led to greater 7-day ppa at 3 months and greater 28-day continuous abstinence at 6 months. Cognitive processing style moderated the effect on 7-day ppa, such that the placebo-tailored booklets produced greater cessation among participants with heuristic information processing tendencies. CONCLUSIONS: Findings support a causal role of placebo tailoring for short-term smoking cessation, particularly for individuals who process information using heuristic strategies. Implications for tailored interventions are discussed.

Characteristics associated with smoking in a Hispanic college student sample.

This study examined the smoking related behaviors of Hispanic young adult college students as part of a larger study that assessed characteristics of Hispanic smokers in a metropolitan area on the U.S./México border. One hundred seventy-four English-speaking Hispanic college students completed questionnaires that assessed tobacco use, drug/alcohol use, body mass index, weight concerns, acculturation, depressive symptoms, and expired carbon monoxide level. Of the 74 smoking participants (42.5% of the sample), 77% reported light or intermittent smoking. Univariate analyses and a backward elimination logistic regression model were used to compare smokers' and nonsmokers' characteristics. Significant univariate differences between smokers and nonsmokers were higher reported weekly alcohol use and ever use of marijuana. Logistic regression findings indicated smokers reported heightened odds of being younger, lower acculturation, ever use of drugs, and weekly drinking. These results suggest a drug and alcohol use component is important to cessation interventions targeted toward Hispanic college student smokers.

Effects of culturally specific cessation messages on theoretical antecedents of behavior among low-income african american smokers.

Previous research has highlighted the importance of cultural relevance in health risk communications, including tobacco interventions. However, few studies have examined the active components of smoking cessation messages targeting low-income African American smokers. This study tested the influence of message content and culturally specific framing in a sample of adult smokers. In a 2 x 2 factorial experiment, 243 African American smokers (M = 19 cigarettes/day) recruited from the community (55% women; mean age = 43 years) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: culturally specific smoking messages, standard smoking messages, culturally specific exercise/weight messages, or standard exercise/weight messages. The primary outcome measures were theoretical antecedents to behavior change, including risk perceptions (general, personal, and culturally specific), readiness to quit smoking, and smoking-related knowledge. The results showed that the smoking messages produced greater culturally specific risk perceptions, readiness to quit smoking, and smoking-related knowledge. The culturally specific messages produced greater personal risk perceptions and intentions to quit. Culturally specific risk perceptions were most affected by culturally specific smoking messages. Findings support the roles of message content and culturally specific framing in the efficacy of brief written interventions for smoking cessation in this population. Future research is needed to examine the influence of these constructs on behavior change.