Gender differences among smokers and quitters in the Working Well Trial

Ellen R. Gritz
Beti Thompson
Karen M. Emmons
Judith K. Ockene, University of Massachusetts Medical School
Dale F. McLerran
Ingrid R. Nielsen

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Gender differences in smoking and smoking cessation among participants in the Working Well Trial are characterized.

METHODS: A prospective randomized matched-pair evaluation was conducted among 90 predominantly blue-collar worksites. Cross-sectional surveys of employees' tobacco use behaviors were conducted at baseline and after a 2.5-year smoking cessation intervention. Respondents included 5,523 females and 12,313 males at baseline and 4,663 females and 10,919 males at follow-up. The main outcome measures included self-reported continuous smoking abstinence rates for 7 days and for 6 months.

RESULTS: Smoking prevalence was significantly higher for women than for men at baseline, but not at follow-up. Variables believed to influence smoking cessation were compared at baseline. Significant gender differences were found for number of cigarettes smoked/day, number of previous quit attempts, job strain, stage of change, and behavioral processes of change. At follow-up, no gender differences in quit rates were observed; however, women in the intervention condition were more likely to quit than women in the control condition, whereas no differences were seen among men by treatment condition.

CONCLUSIONS: Gender is not a strong predictor of smoking cessation in this population; however, women were more likely to quit with an intervention than without one.