The European Journal of Public Health published a new study by Hays, et al that discusses the changes in the quality of life for smoking cessation participants. However, inbedded within this study is a little peak into how well some of the more popular stop smoking aids work.
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| Choosing Your Quality of Life |
The participants were then given a questionnaire prior to the study, 12, 24 and 52 weeks into the study. As usual, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what the results were. Those who took Chantix and Zyban had a significantly improved sense of health/well-being (compared to baseline) and self-control than those who received the placebo. It should be no surprise that the longer the participants were abstinent, the better they felt about their overall health and ability to control their habit. What does this mean? Well, when you have cessation success, it builds a self-fulfilling prophecy within the person. They now believe with each passing day of abstinence, that they can go another day, and then another, etc., until they are smoke free.
However, the smokers in the placebo group had a more difficult time with abstinence and hence, did not feel better about their health at weeks 12, 24 and then 52.
Now to discuss that imbedded fact found within the study. Those who took the Chantix, had an even greater sense of what they call health transition and self control than did those who were in the Zyban group. This correlates with what we already know about these two methods. Chantix has a significantly higher quit rate than does Zyban.
So nothing knew learned here. But it's always nice to get confirmation from well designed studies that are not sponsored by the drug companies.
