Quit programmes for teens may work: 9 in 100 quit, against 6 in 100

The review

1. 01

   Who took part

   The 48 studies included teenagers who smoked, just over half of them girls. On average the youngest were about 14 at the start, and the oldest about 19 at the last check.

2. 02

   What they did

   Each programme was compared with usual care or a basic version of it. Most were held in classrooms or school clinics, and most had at least five sessions.

3. 03

   What happened

   Across the 48 studies, the programmes helped more teens quit than the other groups did, and the gain lasted past a year. Programmes built on motivation, coping skills, and pressure from friends and the media each helped too.

What the review found

1. Helped

   Quit programmes for teens worked: about 9 in 100 quit, against about 6 in 100 in the other groups.

   Pooled analysis of 48 studies · vs usual care or a basic version · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

2. Helped

   Programmes that dealt with doubts about quitting helped about 4 more in 100 teens quit.

   • Action: Talk through your mixed feelings about changingtested

   Pooled analysis of 15 studies · vs usual care or a basic version · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

3. Helped

   Programmes that taught smoking diaries and how to cope with stress helped about 5 more in 100 teens quit.

   • Action: Track your progresstested

   Pooled analysis of 17 studies · vs usual care or a basic version · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

4. Helped

   Programmes that dealt with pressure from friends and the media helped about 4 more in 100 teens quit.

   Pooled analysis of 8 studies · vs usual care or a basic version · they rated themselves · ⚠ whole programmes were tested, so no single part can be credited; mixes trials with other kinds of study

Source