Smoking-Cessation Treatment: Use Trends Among Non-Hispanic White and English-Speaking Hispanic/Latino Smokers, Colorado 2001-2012.

Introduction: Most smokers who try to quit do not use an evidence-based treatment (EBT), and in 2001, Hispanic/Latino quit-attempters were about half as likely as non-Hispanic white (NHW) quit-attempters to use one. This study analyzed the patterns of EBT use in Colorado across a recent decade, 2001-2012.

Methods: Data were from The Attitudes and Behaviors Survey, a random cross-sectional population-level telephone survey. Data included NHW and English-speaking Hispanic/Latino respondents from 2001 (n=11,872), 2005 (n=10,952), 2008 (n=12,323), and 2012 (n=13,265). Statistical analyses were conducted in 2014-2015. EBT measures included nicotine-replacement therapy, prescription cessation medication, telephone quit-line coaching, and other counseling. Bivariate and multiple logistic regression analyses evaluated associations across years between EBT use and ethnicity, adjusting for covariates.

Results: Any EBT use increased with each successive survey year, and the relative increase from 2001 to 2012 was greater among Hispanic/Latino than NHW quit-attempters (75.7% vs 38.7%). However, adjusted for covariates, Hispanic/Latino quit-attempters in 2012 were still 54% less likely to use any EBT (AOR=0.46, 95% CI=0.34, 0.63), 45% less likely to use nicotine-replacement therapy (AOR=0.55, 95% CI=0.39, 0.77), and 50% less likely to use a prescription cessation medication (AOR=0.50, 95% CI=0.30, 0.85). Ethnicity was unrelated to use of a quit-line or other counseling service.

Conclusions: EBT use for smoking cessation has increased over the past decade, with more rapid increase among English-speaking Hispanics/Latinos compared with NHWs, but a large use gap remains. Healthcare and public health efforts are needed to clarify and overcome factors contributing to this ongoing disparity.