What Are the Effective Components of Group-Based Treatment Programs For Smoking Cessation? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Introduction: There is significant variation in the format and delivery of group-based smoking cessation programs. To guide research and healthcare program implementation, it is important to understand the active components of interventions. Aims and Methods: This review aimed to (1) identify behavior change techniques (BCTs) used in effective group-based smoking cessation interventions, (2) determine the effectiveness of group-based smoking cessation interventions on smoking cessation at 6-month follow-up, and (3) identify the behavior change techniques (BCTs) related to effective group-based smoking cessation. The following databases were searched in January 2000 and March 2022: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, The Cochrane Library, and Web of Science. BCTs used in each study were extracted using the BCT Taxonomy. Studies that included identified BCTs were computed, and meta-analyses were conducted to evaluate smoking cessation at 6-month follow-up. Results: A total of 28 BCTs were identified from 19 randomized controlled trials. Studies included an average of 5.42 ± 2.0 BCTs. The most frequent BCTs were "information about health consequences"and "problem solving."The pooled 6-month smoking cessation was higher in the group-based intervention group (OR = 1.75, 95% CI = 1.12 to 2.72, p