Recruiting women into a smoking cessation program: who might quit?

This article describes women who called a research line to quit smoking and identifies correlates of confidence in quitting among the callers. Approximately 4,000 women called the study line to participate after a single press release, indicating intensive interest in quitting. Overall, the randomized sample of women was aged 26 to 65 years, reported smoking just over one pack per day, was mostly White, predominantly employed, and had quit an average of two times the past year before joining the study. Standard background variables, such as age, income, body weight and smoking history variables did not predict baseline self-efficacy or confidence in quitting. However, level of stress, cognitive restraint, and weight gain concerns did predict self-efficacy. These data indicate strong interest in quitting among women and highlight the role of affect and weight concerns in quitting confidence.