Covariates of success in quitting smoking in the community and secondary acute or mental health care services: a rapid systematic review

ABSTRACT Objectives To identify a comprehensive set of variables associated with quitting success among tobacco smokers contacting secondary healthcare services in the United Kingdom (UK) who are offered support to quit smoking and subsequently set a quit date. Design Rapid systematic literature review of five electronic databases. Setting Studies eligible for inclusion investigated quitting success in one of three contexts: (a) the general population in the UK; (b) people with a mental health condition; (c) quit attempts initiated within a secondary care setting. Interventions Smoking cessation intervention in a secondary care setting. Primary and secondary outcome measures Parameters from statistical analysis showing the effects of covariates on quitting success with a statistically significant (i.e., p-value <0.05) association. Results The review identified 29 relevant studies and 14 covariates of quitting success, which we grouped into four categories: demographics (age; sex; ethnicity; socio-economic conditions; relationship status, cohabitation and social network), individual health status and healthcare setting (physical health, mental health), tobacco smoking variables (current tobacco consumption, smoking history, nicotine dependence; motivation to quit; quitting history), and intervention characteristics (reduction in amount smoked prior to quitting, the nature of behavioural support, tobacco dependence treatment duration, pharmacological aids). Conclusions Fourteen data fields were identified that should be considered for inclusion in datasets and statistical analysis plans for evaluating the quitting outcomes of smoking cessation interventions initiated in secondary care contexts in the UK. Trial registration PROSPERO CRD42021254551 STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY The strengths of this review lie in the rapid but systematic approach taken and in the design of the research question and population restrictions to identify data fields important to consider in plans for the statistical analysis of the quitting outcomes of smoking cessation interventions initiated in secondary care contexts in the UK. The limitations lie in the compromises made as part of the rapid review approach, for example, our focus only on studies published in English, not searching grey literature, limited critical appraisal of the studies found.