Does non-smoker identity following quitting predict long-term abstinence? Evidence from a population survey in England

Tombor, Ildiko, Shahab, Lion, Brown, Jamie, Notley, Caitlin and West, Robert (2015) Does non-smoker identity following quitting predict long-term abstinence? Evidence from a population survey in England. Addictive Behaviors, 45. pp. 99-103. ISSN 0306-4603

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Abstract

Aims: ‘Categorical self-labels’ (e.g. thinking of oneself as a smoker or non-smoker) are important aspects of identity that can have a fundamental influence on behaviour. To explore the role identity aspects relating to smoking can play in smoking cessation and relapse, this study assessed the prospective associations between taking on a non-smoker identity following quitting and long-term abstinence.  Methods: A representative sample of 574 ex-smokers in England who quit smoking in the past year was followed-up at three (N=179) and six months (N=163). Post-quit identity relating to smoking (‘I still think of myself as a smoker’ or ‘I think of myself as a nonsmoker’), and demographic and smoking-related characteristics were assessed at baseline. Self-reported smoking abstinence was assessed at follow-ups.  Results: Non-smoker identity was reported by 80.3% (95%CI 76.8-83.4) of recent exsmokers. Younger age (p=0.017) and longer abstinence (p<0.001) were independently associated with a post-quit non-smoker identity. After adjusting for covariates, non-smoker identity (p=0.032) and length of abstinence at baseline (p<0.001) were associated with continued abstinence at three months follow-up, and baseline length of abstinence (p=0.003) predicted continued abstinence at six months.  Conclusions: The majority of people who quit smoking recently consider themselves as nonsmokers. Younger people and those who have been abstinent for longer are more likely to take on a non-smoker identity. Ex-smokers who make this mental transition following a quit attempt appear more likely to remain abstinent in the medium term than those who still think of themselves as smokers.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	smoking cessation,smoker identity,ex-smokers,smoking toolkit study,representative sample
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups:	Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Public Health and Health Services Research (former - to 2023) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Mental Health and Social Care (fka Lifespan Health) Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Public Health
Depositing User:	Pure Connector
Date Deposited:	24 Jul 2015 21:25
Last Modified:	15 Oct 2025 10:31
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/53527
DOI:	10.1016/j.addbeh.2015.01.026

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