Quitting smoking: estimation by meta-analysis of the rate of unaided smoking cessation.
Level 1 - systematic review of randomized trials
Meta-analysis pooling unassisted cessation data across 14 primary care control or usual-care samples.
PubMed 7786936 · doi:10.1111/j.1753-6405.1995.tb00361.x
What was done
A meta-analysis pooled smoking abstinence rates across 14 samples of smokers presenting in primary healthcare settings who received either no targeted smoking intervention or usual care without deliberate cessation assistance.
What was found
The estimated unassisted smoking cessation rate over an average follow-up of 10 months was 7.33% (contrasted with previously reported literature ranges of 8.5% to 13.8% at 12 months).
Why it matters
It establishes a baseline unassisted quit rate in primary care populations, providing a benchmark to determine the true added value of active smoking cessation interventions.
Limits
The abstract omits total participant sample size, confidence intervals, heterogeneity measures, and information on biochemical verification of abstinence. Follow-up lengths varied across studies, and results reflect primary care attendees rather than the general population.
Cited by
- context Only 3% to 5% of people attempting to quit nicotine cold turkey succeed without assistance.