Charlotte Scherphof, Regina van den Eijnden and Wilma Vollebergh
Presenter(s)
Charlotte Scherphof PhD candidate, Utrecht University, The Netherlands
Abstract
Previous research among adolescents showed limited evidence for the short-term efficacy of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) and generally low medication compliance. Since higher compliance rates are associated with improved abstinence rates, we examined in a randomized controlled trial 1) the efficacy of NRT and 2) the role of compliance. Participants (N=257, age: 16.7 +/- 1.13 years) attended an information meeting followed by a 6-week treatment with either a nicotine patch or a placebo patch.
Data were required by means of 6 online questionnaires during treatment. Intent-to-treat analysis showed that NRT was only efficacious on end-of-treatment abstinence rates in high-compliant, but not in low-compliant participants. To go more deeply into the course of compliance, we subsequently investigated whether different adolescents’ NRT compliance trajectories can be distinguished and whether these trajectories can be predicted by demographic factors, smoking (cessation) related factors and personality characteristics. Three trajectories were found, i.e. the ‘compliers’, the ‘moderate decreasers’ and the ‘strong decreasers’. The differences in the development of these trajectories were predicted by three factors: the level of conscientiousness and extraversion, and the number of previous quit attempts. Implications in terms of personality-targeted interventions aiming to enhance compliance rates and suggestions for future research will be discussed.
Source of funding: This project was supported by funds of The Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (ZonMw).
