Smoking Self-Stigma as a Predictor for Participation in a Smoking Cessation Program during Inpatient Qualified withdrawal treatment and its Success

Background Smoking self-stigma has been associated with more previous quit attempts but was also discussed as a barrier to treatment seeking. So far, no longitudinal data on the association of smoking self-stigma with subsequent participation and success in a smoking cessation program during Substance use disorder treatment (SUD) was reported. Methods Using data from another study, where 95 smoking patients were assessed at the beginning of an inpatient SUD treatment with the smoking self-stigma subscale of the Internalized Stigma of Smoking Inventory, an interview and additional questionnaires. Patients were offered an evidence based concurrent smoking cessation program. Three months after discharge, patients smoking status was reassessed by telephone. Results Higher smoking self-stigma values were positively associated with the treatment goal of smoking abstinence at baseline and with a higher chance of subsequent participation in smoking cessation treatment. Furthermore, higher smoking self-stigma predicted smoking abstinence in participants of the smoking cessation program at follow-up. Results remained robust even after controlling for previously established predictors.Higher smoking self-stigma was associated with the treatment goal of smoking abstinence at baseline and with a higher chance of subsequent participation in smoking cessation treatment. Furthermore, higher smoking self-stigma predicted smoking abstinence in participants of the smoking cessation program at follow-up. Discussion This study corroborates and extends previous findings of associations between smoking self-stigma and motivation to quit smoking. Furthermore, it extends these findings using prospective longitudinal data on smoking cessation success. The idea is discussed, that smoking self-stigma may promote behavioral change in smokers once the fear of stigma as a barrier for help-seeking has been overcome, when initiating SUD treatment.