Prevalence of Smoking Among Young Adults
According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) smoking starts and establishes during the adolescence and 9 out of 10 smokers are below 18 years old (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). It is highly prevalent among the youth and there is an increase in the smoking rates from the year 2011 to 2016 (Primack et al., 2015). There is an increase in the current use of the electronic cigarettes from 0.6% to 4.3%, as it appears to be appealing for the youths. It is also stated that smoking initiation during the adolescence is strongly related to the chronic smoking in their adulthood. Young adults of the age 19-24 years are addicted to smoking and tobacco use initiated at adolescent age (Cengelli et al., 2012).
According to World Health Organization (WHO), there are short and long-term health consequences of smoking on the young people (Crutzen et al., 2011). The health effects include nicotine addiction and risk of drug consumption. It reduces the lung growth rate and they have a low level of lung functioning. They also suffer from shortness of breath as compared to the non-smokers. From the above statistics, it is evident that youth are the vulnerable population who need effective interventions for smoking cessation, as it is major public health issue globally (Dutra & Glantz, 2014). There are many efforts made for the prevention of tobacco use among the middle and high school students, however, less attention is given to the smoking cessation for the adolescents. Therefore, the following critical analysis involves the qualitative and quantitative studies of smoking cessation interventions among the adolescents.
The article “Picture Me Smokefree: A Qualitative Study Using Social Media and Digital Photography to Engage Young Adults in Tobacco Reduction and Cessation by the authors, Haines-Saah et al., (2015) is a qualitative study on the online interventions for smoking cessation among the youths. The purpose of the authors was to determine the efficacy of the online interventions like Facebook and other existing social networking sites as compared to a single online prevention intervention source. For the research study, the authors collected the data from the online activity follow-up survey and interviews from the study participants. The sample comprised of 60 young adults of the age 19-24 years and qualitative interviews were conducted analyzed through narrative analysis and feedback synthesis. The findings showed that as young adults are frequent users of mobile phones, Facebook acts as an accessible and low-cost platform for engaging them in smoking reduction or quitting, being the best strategy for tobacco reduction. “Online interventions using social media platforms are effective in smoking cessation among the young adults”. As the younger adults are in frequent use with the social networking sites on their mobile phones, this acts as major platform for the peer-to-peer interactions while reflecting on the smoking cessation strategy (Whittaker et al., 2011).
Short and Long-Term Health Consequences of Smoking
The article “Long-term efficacy of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking cessation in adolescents: a randomized controlled trial” by the authors Scherphof et al., (2014) is a quantitative study on the long-term effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy for the smoking cessation among the adults. A double blind randomized control trail (RCT) was performed on the adolescents of the year 12-18 years who smoked at the rate of seven cigarettes a day and randomly placed in groups of nicotine or placebo patch. The result findings suggested that nicotine patches are effective at the end of treatment having short-term efficacy, however, NRT failed in the smoking cessation among the adolescents. The abstinence rates increased among the respondents measured by potential covariates, compliance and smoking cessation by the online questionnaires and at the end of 12 months, it was validated biochemically by the saliva cotinine (Sørensen, 2012). “NRT failed to cease smoking among the adolescents after the 6 and 12 months follow-ups. An intensive approach is required for the youngsters for smoking cessation (Cahill et al., 2012).
The aim of the study was to determine the online forum engagement and participation of the young adults in smoking cessation through peer support and motivation. The study was aimed at exploring the gender-related factors that influences the young adult participation in the smoking cessation interventions. The participation styles of the young men and women determine the efficacy of the online interventions tailored according to their preferences. The research study is qualitative in nature.
There is high rate of tobacco use among the young adults and the rate has doubled as compared to other age groups. There is also high prevalence of smoking among the gender where young adult men are more addicted as compared to women (Kim et al., 2011). Many interventions are designed to target the school students regarding smoking cessation and tobacco use. However, there is less attention paid to the intervention strategies for the young adults towards smoking cessation. They are in frequent use with the social networking and Facebook sites and it can be used as a platform for per support and engagement (Bryant et al., 2011). Therefore, this study is aimed at determining the online interventions efficacy for the smoking cessation among the young adults.
Haug et al., (2012) also studied the efficacy of short message service (SMS) based intervention for the young people through randomized control trail (RCT) and the results showed a statistically high cigarette cessation among them. Another study conducted by Rooke et al., (2010) showed that internet based interventions were cost-effective for the treatment of smoking and uncomplicated substance abuse. Picture Me Smokefree is also an online tobacco reduction and cessation for the young adults through social networking and digital photography. This helps the author to support and propose the hypothesis of online interventions like social media would help to support smoking cessation in young adults (Suls et al., 2012).
Efficacy of Online Interventions for Smoking Cessation
For the study, 60 young adults who self-identified as the current smokers of the age 19-24 years or who have quitted within last year participated in Facebook for 12 consecutive weeks in British Columbia, Canada. Data collection method includes online tracking, follow-up survey and interviews with the sample participants. The data was analyzed that involves descriptive statistics on participation, qualitative narrative analysis and feedback synthesis and recruitment retention in the respondent engagement.
The result findings suggested that Facebook acts as the low-cost and accessible platform for the engagement of the young adults that reflects the reasons for tobacco use, reduction and quitting benefits being the best tobacco reduction strategies. The study also recommended that the young men and women participate in different manner and, therefore, the online interventions need to be tailored accordingly. They need to be a mixed gender format rather than being gender neutral. The future studies are required to streamline the cost in context of the graphics and designing of the social marketing sites and Facebook ads. It is also important to study the alternative mechanisms for the participation and retention of the participants. In addition, the feedback analysis suggested future studies regarding the development of more interactive features on online sites like group assignments or topics, group chat and digital activity.
The result findings suggested that tobacco interventions for adolescents and young adults like online interventions are efficacious for them as they are easily accessible. As they are more active on the social media sites and in frequent mobile use, the online interventions using social media help to reduce tobacco use as compared to a single intervention resource. Gender-sensitive interventions are more effective than gender-specific online interventions.
The article by Scherphof et al., (2014) showed the efficacy of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) in highly complaint respondents, adolescents of the age 12-18 years who consumed at least seven cigarettes daily. NRT was tested in a RCT where 182 were placed in a nicotine patch group and 180 in placebo group. The smoking cessation and compliance was measured at the end of 6 months by online questionnaire and at the end of eight months by saliva cotinine. The study is quantitative in nature.
There are negative health effects on the adolescents due to smoking as they aged between 11-19 years. There are low success rates for the interventions developed for the adolescents, as they are not willing to quit smoking. Nicotine dependency is the major hindrance to smoking cessation among the youngsters (Kong et al., 2014). Therefore, NRT is the method that can be used to reduce the withdrawal symptoms for the people who quit smoking. This research is aimed at studying the efficacy of NRT among the adolescents for smoking cessation.
Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) for Smoking Cessation Among Adolescents
Coleman et al., (2011) studied the efficacy of NRT combined with varenicline for smoking cessation through blinded, randomized and placebo-controlled trial. The results suggested that varenicline along with NRT is effective and achieving the smoking cessation. Another contradictory study conducted by Mills et al., (2010) showed that there are adverse side effects of NRT and along with medical monitoring counseling. In addition, the efficacy of NRT is studied among adults for smoking cessation; however, it is not widely studied among the adolescents (Stead & Lancaster, 2012). These evidences supported the authors to conduct the study regarding the NRT efficacy among the adolescents.
For the research, the sample respondents were recruited through online questionnaire of 12-18 years who smoked more than seven cigarettes per day and are willing to quit smoke. Parents of minor and participants of the age of 18 years and above were requested to sign an informed consent. A 75-minute meeting was held that gave information about the study and intervention for smoking cessation. Participants were also informed about the NRT use over nicotine patches. Biochemical analysis was done through salivary samples through a cotinine assay. The data was analysed through SPSS software.
The result findings showed that after the follow-up of 6 months, 8.1% of the participants were abstinent in the NRT or treatment group and 5.7% in the placebo group. There was high amount of abstinence seen in the participants that led to the failure of NRT. There was no significant changes made in the NRT group as the abstinence rates were OR = 1.54, 95% CI = 0.57, 4.16 at the end of 6 months and OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.21, 1.93 after the end of 12 months neither even after considering the compliance nor after covariate adjustment. The findings recommended that a more intensive approach is required for the youngsters in smoking cessation.
The result findings concluded that NRT failed in smoking cessation among the adolescents even after 6 and 12 months of follow-ups. There was high amount of abstinence among the youngsters to quit smoking and requires extensive approach.
The main perspective of the qualitative paper by Haines-Saah et al., (2015) was to study the effectiveness of internet based social media interventions that were aimed at engaging the young adults in the tobacco reduction and cessation. As the adolescents are highly active in the social media networking sites, therefore, the Facebook was suggested as the cost-effective platform for highlighting the benefit of reducing or quitting smoking (Aubin, Karila & Reynaud, 2011).
Efficacy of NRT Among Adolescents for Smoking Cessation
The conclusion was stated up front where it stated that online interventions like Facebook proved effective for the smoking cessation for the adolescents. It was also stated that the participation is gender-sensitive and determines the participation style between the young men and women. Online interventions using social media provides greater audience and peer support and engagement. It helps to seek better support in adopting the tobacco reduction strategies and also the smoking cessation interventions rather than one intervention source.
Yes, the perspective or conclusion is novel as there were many previous studies conducted that showed the use of web-based interventions for the teenagers as they are more engaged and are able to adapt in a better way. In their paper, to support their findings, the authors mentioned the effectiveness of an online website for the reduction and cessation of tobacco use among the young adults that uses the social networking sites and digital photography.
Yes, the key words are well-defined in the research paper like smoking cessation, young adults, tobacco use, visual and graphic methods and Facebook as the main online intervention that provide pictures, videos, graphics explaining the smoking cessation benefits. The research paper is presented logically describing and defining all the keywords and findings. The presentation is proper described in the standard format of abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion, conclusion and references. They have properly stated the limitations of the study and made prospective for future studies that would be helpful in the smoking cessation among the adolescents.
The authors of the paper are Rebecca J Haines-Saah, Mary T Kelly, John L Oliffe and Joan L Bottorff. They have established their expertise from esteem universities. Rebecca J Haines-Saah has done his Ph.D from the Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, Faculty of Health and Social Development, University of British Columbia Okanagan, Kelowna, BC, Canada. Mary T Kelly and John L Oliffe have done their Ph.D from School of Nursing, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Joan L Bottorff had Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.
They have selected this perspective as in Canada; smoking is highly prevalent among the young adults as compared to other age groups. The percentage doubles from the adolescent to young adults with an increase of 20% as reported by the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey. Many interventions are developed to stop smoking cessation; however, it failed to address the young adults smoking addiction (Camenga et al., 2015). Therefore, the authors have conducted to reduce and cease smoking among the young adults.
The paper addressed proper evidence through literature review and qualitative analysis of the interviews conducted. They have established the paper by providing evidence for the previous studied made in this field and through this; they have proposed the use of Facebook for the smoking cessation among the young adults. They have supported their perspective through example of Picture Me Smokefree Intervention that added feasibility of the intervention drawing peer support for smoking cessation.
The main perspective of the quantitative paper by Scherphof et al., (2014) is that NRT is effective in reducing the smoking withdrawal symptoms in the adolescents as compared to nicotine patches. NRT is effective for the adults; however, its efficacy is not established among the adolescents regarding smoking cessation (Rigotti, 2012).
Yes, the perspective was stated upfront in the introduction supported by literature that showed the efficacy of NRT among the young adults and require research among the adolescents. It also provided the evidence regarding the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions for adults and so they proposed the study to determine the effectiveness of NRT among the adolescents.
Yes, their insight was novel as NRT effectiveness among the adolescents is not explained in a straight-forward manner and therefore, their idea was novel where they were aimed at proposing the hypothesis to study NRT for smoking cessation among the adolescents.
The key words are appropriately defined with information presented in a logical manner. It is presented in a standardized research paper structured in the form of abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion, conclusion and references. The paper has also defined its strengths and limitations clearly with scope for future research and studies. However, the proposed study failed to establish smoking cessation among the adolescents through NRT as abstinence prevailed among them after the 6 and 12 months of follow-ups. The paper stated that intensive research is required for the smoking cessation among the adolescents as the proposed NRT failed due to high abstinence.
The authors of the paper are Charlotte S. Scherphof, Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden, Rutger C.M.E. Engels and Wilma A.M. Vollebergh. They have established their expertise in Child and Adolescent studies and Behavioral studies. Charlotte S. Scherphof, Regina J.J.M. van den Eijnden and Wilma A.M. Vollebergh are researchers in Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.140, 3508 TC Utrecht, The Netherlands. Rutger C.M.E. Engels is a researcher in Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
They have selected this argument because smoking causes negative health effects on the adolescents and there is high smoking prevalence among them. There is a need for strong interventions that makes the adolescents quit smoking, as there is high abstinence rate. Therefore, the authors proposed the NRT for the adolescents that would be helpful in smoking cessation.
In their paper, authors have provided the evidence that nicotine patches are beneficial in smoking cessation among the adolescents at the end of the treatment; however, it was not so effective in high complaint participants. They also provided the evidence that supported the efficacy of NRT as a continuation of previous study with same sample. Therefore, they tried to examine the NRT efficacy after 6 and 12 months in smoking cessation.
Yes, the perspective given by the authors were counter-argument when they said that their proposed study failed as NRT was not effective in smoking cessation among the adolescents as it had short-term efficacy.
Conclusion
Tobacco use is highly prevalent among the youth and there is an increase in the smoking rates from the year 2011 to 2016. There is an increase in the current use of the electronic cigarettes from 0.6% to 4.3%, as it appears to be appealing for the youths. it is evident that youth are the vulnerable population who need effective interventions for smoking cessation, as it is major public health issue globally (Bailey et al., 2012). The article by Haines-Saah et al., (2015) was to determine the efficacy of the online interventions like Facebook and other existing social networking sites as compared to a single online prevention intervention source, qualitative in nature. The article by Scherphof et al., (2014) is a quantitative study on the long-term effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy for the smoking cessation among the adults.
The authors Haines-Saah et al., (2015) were successful in establishing the efficacy of online in smoking reduction or quitting, being the best strategy for tobacco reduction. However, the proposed perspective by Scherphof et al., (2014) failed as NRT was effective for reducing the withdrawal symptoms after quitting smoking.
The articles are presented in a logical manner. It is presented in a standardized research paper structured in the form of abstract, introduction, methods, results and discussion, conclusion and references. The paper has also defined its strengths and limitations clearly with scope for future research and studies. The reviewed material was successful as it gave an opportunity to study and add knowledge to the chosen topic of smoking cessation and adolescent use.
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