Do determinants of smoking cessation and relapse differ between men and women? Data from a French national study (2024)

Introduction: There is limited understanding of different predictors of smoking cessation success (SCS) among women and men, despite well-documented differences in smoking behavior.
Methods: Using data from DePICT (Description des Perceptions, Images, et Comportements liés au Tabagisme), a national survey of French adults which recruited 2377 regular and former smokers we investigated whether major determinants of SCS differed by sex. Factors associated with unsuccessful vs. No successful quit attempt; vs. SCS were studied using multivariate multinomial logistic regression analyses stratified by sex.
Results: Women and men share some determinants of SCS including no cannabis use, living in a nonsmoker household and importance giving to being a nonsmoker. However, no e-cigarette use, low-to-moderate alcohol consumption, early smoking initiation, and higher education were associated with SCS only among women. No use of nicotine replacement, having family members who smoke, family opinion on smoking and current employment, were associated with SCS only among men. Neutral or negative friends' opinion on smoking or living with a smoker were associated with unsuccessful smoking attempts among men.
Conclusions: Our results show differences between determinants of SCS according to sex, which highlights the importance of developing tailored interventions that account for sex/gender differences in smoking cessation.