Daily adherence to nicotine replacement therapy in low-income smokers: The role of gender, negative mood, motivation, and self-efficacy

The challenge of tobacco and nicotine use among women

“…Particularly, women may be less receptive to nicotine reinforcement effects but more sensitive to non-nicotine conditioned-smoking cues and sensory aspects. Furthermore, women may be less likely to report readiness to quit and less confident in quitting success, usually reporting more difficulty to cope with stress and withdrawal symptoms, especially anxiety and negative mood 23 , 44 .…”

“…Women face gender-related barriers and more difficulty to quit: weight gain concerns; menstrual/hormonal cycles influencing withdrawal and metabolization of nicotine/NRT; greater likelihood of depression and mood variability; lack of social support; family work; and caregiver burden. These barriers require tailored behavior interventions 4 , 23 , 40 , 44 . Treatment programs should use a patient-centered approach, focusing on gender-specific barriers, individual concerns, and beliefs; consider the complexity of variables influencing smoking behavior in women; and include intensive multicomponent interventions, i.e., motivational interviewing, problem-solving skills strategies, and cognitive behavior therapy addressing smoking cues, negative mood, weight management, and social support.…”