Mindfulness training for women smokers in the workplace: A pilot randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives: This pilot study tested the efficacy of mindfulness training (MT) on smoking cessation (SC) in Chinese women in workplaces. Background: MT has shown preliminary efficacy on addiction treatment. Materials and Methods: This single-blind cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) randomized 213 smoking women (18-65 year, ≥10 cigarettes/day) to the intervention (n=114) or control group (n=99). The intervention group received a 2-session MT workshop (4-hour) led by a certified therapist, self-help SC booklet plus an optional smoking-related health talk. The control group only received the same self-help booklet. Primary outcome included self-reported 7-day point prevalence of abstinence (PPA) at 6-month. Secondary outcomes included biochemically validated abstinence and smoking reduction rate. Results and Conclusions: By intention-to-treat, MT and control groups had similar PPA (18.4% and 21.2%, p=0.61) and validated abstinence (11.1% and 5.3%, p=0.12). Corresponding smoking reduction rates were 38.6% and 41.4% (p=0.68). Women aged ≤29 years (compared with those aged ≥40 years; adjusted odds ratio 4.91, 95% CI 1.31-18.46), those who had quit intention (3.52, 1.10-11.3) and greater perceived confidence of quitting (1.26 per score, 1.03-1.53) showed greater PPA. Odds of PPA were higher among MT participants who learned to apply the method in handling withdraw symptoms (4.75, 1.04-21.71) and used mindfulness yoga to quit smoking (4.52, 0.99-20.69).

This pilot RCT showed feasibility of the MT for workplace SC for women and suggested that MT might be helpful on quitting only in those who used MT as instructed. The effects needed to be confirmed by trials with special emphasis on increasing adherence in a larger sample and with a longer-term