The efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for smoking cessation among Egyptian male students in Alexandria university: a randomized clinical study

Abstract

Background:  cigarettes smoking among university students remain the most alarming issue worldwide, but research on whether efficacious interventions can be generalized to this population is limited. The main objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of cognitive behaviour therapy for smoking cessation among male students at Alexandria University in Egypt.

Methods: 146 male student giving history of ten or more cigarettes smoking per day for at least 1 year were randomized into two groups: cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; n=69) (study group) and minimal intervention in form of basic general health education (MI; n=77) (control group). A baseline assessment (of demographic parameters and tobacco smoking behaviour) was performed, and the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence was used to assess the level of nicotine addiction in the subjects. The primary outcome variable was 7-day point-prevalence abstinence (ppa), which was assessed at the end of the intervention as well as at 3-month and 6-month follow-ups. The secondary outcome variable was therapy retention rate.

Results: The 7-day ppa was significantly higher in CBT than in minimal intervention at the end of therapy (72.5% vs 50%), at 3 months (49% vs 26.3%) and at 6 months (37.7% vs 15. 8%): the retention rate in the treatment was significantly higher among CBT vs minimal intervention (73.9% vs 49. 2%).Conclusion: CBT is significantly more effective than minimal intervention for smoking cessation among university students.