Panic attacks and smoking cessation among cancer patients receiving smoking cessation treatment

Abstract

Objective: Little is known about factors associated with smoking cessation in cancer patients. This study examined the impact of panic attacks on smoking abstinence likelihood among cancer patients receiving tobacco cessation treatment.

Method: The relationship of panic attacks to 7-day point-prevalence abstinence at mid-treatment, end of treatment, and 6-month post-end of treatment were examined among cancer patients (N=2255 patients; 50.1% female; Mage=54.9, SD=11.0) who received counseling and pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Panic attack history indexed by two questions from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). Point-prevalence abstinence was assessed via the Timeline Follow-Back.

Results: Cancer patients with a history of panic attacks, (n=493, 21.9%) relative to those without, were less likely to be abstinent at mid-treatment (OR=0.79, CI95%=0.64-0.98) and end of treatment (OR=0.72, CI95%=0.58-0.89). After adjusting for significant covariates, panic attack history remained predictive of decreased abstinence likelihood at end of treatment (OR =0.78, CI95%=0.62-0.99).

Conclusions: Panic attacks may be related to poorer cessation outcome during smoking treatment among cancer patients, and may be usefully assessed and targeted for intervention.

Keywords: Abstinence; Cancer; Nicotine replacement; Panic attacks; Tobacco; Varenicline.