Should We Pay the Smokers? A Meta-Analysis of Financial Incentives for Smoking Cessation Among Smokers in Low Socioeconomic Group

Abstract

Today around 80% of smokers worldwide live in low-and middle-income countries, and in most countries, regardless of country income group, tobacco use is more concentrated in low socioeconomic status (SES) populations. This meta-analysis was conducted to review current available evidences to determine the effectiveness of financial incentive strategies on smoking cessation among low-SES smokers. Database search using PubMed, Science Direct and Cochrane Library were used to search financial incentive intervention prior to October 2018. Appraisal of methodological quality was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration's tool. Six identified randomized control trials with 2450 and 2437 participants in intervention and control group respectively were included in the analysis. The random-effect model was used to combine results from individual studies. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was 2.16 (95% CI: 1.66-2.82) comparing financial incentive intervention with control. Heterogeneity was not significant across studies (Chi 2 = 8.17, p = 0.15, I 2 = 39%). Current evidences from the RCT researches suggest that financial incentives are promising potential strategy to encourage smoking cessation among low-SES smokers.