Workplace cessation support is associated with more abstinence in a workplace program in Hong Kong: A mixed-methods study
Open accessAbstract
INTRODUCTION: We examined the association of workplace smoking cessation (SC) support from employers, in addition to SC interventions, and smoking abstinence. METHODS: Smoking employees (≥1 cigarette daily, aged ≥18 years) from companies of various industries joined a workplace SC program in Hong Kong. Self-reported past 7-day point prevalence abstinence was measured at follow-up at 6 months. We assessed 14 types of workplace SC support with higher scores (range: 0-14) indicating greater support. Multivariable logistic regression examined the prospective association between workplace SC support and smoking abstinence, adjusting for intention to quit, nicotine dependence, self-efficacy of quitting, and sociodemographic characteristics. Average marginal effects were calculated to test if the association between overall workplace SC support and self-reported past 7-day PPA at follow-up at 6 months was modified by subgroups. We also interviewed employers from different companies to explore their perspectives of providing workplace SC support, and the data were analyzed by thematic analysis. RESULTS: In 383 participants who received a heath talk, a self-help SC booklet, and 15 text messages, greater workplace SC support was associated with smoking abstinence (AOR=1.32; 95% CI: 1.08-1.61), including support for smoke-free environment (AOR=1.51; 95% CI: 1.08-2.11) and for SC attempts/actions (AOR=1.93; 95% CI: 1.21-3.07). The association did not differ by sex, age, intention to quit, nicotine dependence, company size or company type. Qualitative interviews found that employers provided workplace SC support to establish a good company image, cost-benefit considerations were important to the types of workplace SC support provided, and lack of SC knowledge was a barrier to providing workplace SC support. CONCLUSIONS: Greater workplace SC support was associated with more abstinence in a workplace SC program.
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Compared with chat-based smoking cessation treatment alone, the cessation intervention paired with ACT-based psychosocial support resulted in superior cessation outcomes.
“Compared with chat-based smoking cessation treatment alone [22], our cessation intervention paired with ACT-based psychosocial support resulted in superior cessation outcomes.”
From Personalized chat‐based support for smoking cessation among smokers with mental health symptoms in the workplace: A randomized controlled trial. (2025) · cites this paper as [22]
The citation is attached to “chat-based smoking cessation treatment alone,” not to the citing authors’ claim about their ACT-based intervention. The Methods (Design; page unavailable) describe this source’s program as a health talk, self-help booklet, and text messages, rather than chat-based treatment alone. (LLM, conf=0.85)
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Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe drop-out rate was slightly higher than in previous community (23%) and workplace (29%) trials.
“The drop-out rate (36% at 6 months) in this study was slightly higher than those in our previous community trial (23%) [14] and workplace trial (29%) [22].”
From Personalized chat‐based support for smoking cessation among smokers with mental health symptoms in the workplace: A randomized controlled trial. (2025) · cites this paper as [22]
The citation [22] is attached to the previous workplace trial’s 29% drop-out rate. Our copy’s Methods (Measures and Statistical analysis; page unavailable) describes six-month follow-up and the handling of missing outcomes, but does not report a 29% drop-out rate. Searches for that figure and for follow-up attrition did not establish the comparison. (LLM, conf=0.72)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredEngagement in the chat-based IM intervention in this trial was 36.1%, higher than in the community trial (17%) and workplace trial (17.4%).
“Engagement in the chat-based IM intervention in this trial (36.1%) was higher than our chat-based trial in the community (17%) [14] and workplace (17.4%) [22] settings.”
From Personalized chat‐based support for smoking cessation among smokers with mental health symptoms in the workplace: A randomized controlled trial. (2025) · cites this paper as [22]
The Methods (Design; page unavailable) describe a workplace program using a health talk, booklet, and 15 text messages, but do not report engagement in a chat-based intervention. A search of our copy for 17.4% and chat-based engagement found no passage supporting the workplace comparison. (LLM, conf=0.75)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Cites
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Self-citation
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Yao, Y., Luk, T. T., Lau, O. S., Wu, Y. S., Weng, X., Ng, C. H., Cheung, Y. T. D., Lam, T. H., & Wang, M. P. (2025) · Addiction · doi:10.1111/add.70013 · Cited by 3 · see citing works
Self-citation
- Authors
- Guo, Z., Weng, X., Lau, A. O. S., Ng, M. C. H., Wu, Y., Lam, T. H., & Wang, M. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Hong Kong (HK)
- Beijing Normal University (CN)
- Corresponding author
- Wu, Yongda
- Venue
- Tobacco Induced Diseases
- Publisher
- European Publishing
- Published
- 2022-12-23
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- December
- Pages
- 1-10
- ISSN
- 1617-9625 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9782256
- OpenAlex
- W4312178543
- Cited by
- 3
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2
- FWCI
- 0.46
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Tobacco Induced Diseases (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Smoking Behavior and Cessation
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Workplace Health and Well-being
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
- Keywords
- smoking cessation support, smoking abstinence, smoke-free workplaces, employer perceptions, workplace health promotion, text messaging intervention, self-help booklet, health talks, nicotine dependence, turnover intention, Hong Kong
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