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The primary objective of this study was to determine whether health beliefs influenced the outcome of the three alternate modalities of reducing cigarette consumption. The study randomized volunteers either to a control group or to one of three cessation programs, using behavior modification, health education, or hypnosis. A questionnaire was used to document health beliefs, demographic characteristics, and smoking history. Blood samples were taken before and after the completion of intervention programs to measure changes in serum thiocyanate. A follow-up questionnaire was used to assess smoking behavior after 6 months. Statistically significant decreases in serum thiocyanate levels followed participation in each of the three programs. Factor analysis and reliability tests were used to identify four scales reflecting major variable dimensions in the health belief model. Significant correlations between change in serum thiocyanate and two of the scales (general health concern and perceived vulnerability) were found only for the group randomly assigned to the health education intervention program.

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of hypnosis, health education, and behaviour modification programs for cigarette smoking cessation. A randomized clinical trial comparing these three programs and a control group was conducted in 168 volunteers. Follow-up data three weeks after completion was available in 140 subjects. Each program showed significant reductions in reported cigarette consumption and serum thiocyanate levels, an indicator of long-term cigarette consumption, compared to entry and to the control group. However, there were no significant differences between the hypnosis, health education, or behaviour modification groups with respect to the proportion who reported quitting smoking, the number cigarettes smoked or change in serum thiocyanate levels. Reported cigarette consumption ascertained six months later again showed no significant differences between these three approaches. Factors such as subject age, age at starting cigarette smoking, educational level, marital status, spouse or partners smoking did not identify subgroups with differences between treatment responses. Thus, hypnosis, health education, and behaviour modification are each effective programs for changing cigarette smoking and each is equally effective in this regard.