1. Mindfulness-based Smoking Cessation among
Predominantly Low-Income, African American Smokers
 Claire A. Spears,1 Mark A. Dannenfelser,2 Sharrill A. Bell,1 Brittani P. Carter,1 Charlayne A. Scarlett,1 and David W. Wetter3
1Georgia State University School of Public Health; 2The Mindfulness Center of Atlanta; 3University of Utah and the Huntsman Cancer Institute
BACKGROUND & PURPOSE
RESULTS
RESULTS (cont.)
Participant Characteristics
Participants were 53 African American smokers (49% female), most of whom (69%) reported total annual family income < $24,000.
Program Ratings
On 1-10 scale (1=would not recommend to others, 10=would definitely recommend to others), average rating was 9.1 (SD = 2.0)
On 1-10 scale (1=not at all confident, 10=extremely confident), participants’ confidence ratings for continuing to practice formal and informal mindfulness were 7.7 (SD = 2.9) and 7.4 (SD = 3.0), respectively.
Most Helpful Aspects of MBAT
Overall, participants indicated positive experiences with MBAT They indicated enjoying both formal and informal mindfulness practice. The most commonly reported helpful aspects of MBAT are described below, with example participant quotations.
Practicing Mindfulness in the Context of Quitting Smoking
“Helped me become more mindful of all activities related to smoking.”
“Helped me to realize urges come and then will leave.”
Learning to Focus on the Present
“I truly loved learning how to keep focused on the present instead of dwelling on the past and thinking hard about the future.”
“It helped me focus better. I also liked how it helped me to concentrate and relax.”
Practicing Mindfulness to Manage Stress
“I found it helpful because not only did it help me try to stop smoking but it showed me ways to help keep myself calm in stressful situations.”
“I gained a lot of information on how to handle stressful situations.”
Feeling Social Support of the Group
“Having a group of people who struggle with things similarly as me was nice. I could learn from their mistakes and vice versa.”
“It helped me realize that I’m not alone in my quest on quitting smoking.”
Plans for Continuing Mindfulness Practice
Participants commonly noted plans to practice formal sitting meditation, body scan, and yoga, in addition to more informal mindfulness of breathing, walking, and eating.
Formal Practice
“I will keep all the mindfulness practice I was taught because it’s what helped me through this struggle. I plan on doing it at least 5 days out of the week.”
“Stretching and meditation every morning.”
Informal Practice
“To stop throughout the day and bring awareness back to my body and the present”
“Be aware of how my breathing has changed since quitting”
“Be aware of eating and tasting my food”
Practicing mindfulness in the context of prayer and spirituality
Suggestions for Improvement
When asked what they disliked and suggestions for improvement, most responded “N/A” or “nothing.” Of those who provided feedback, some indicated issues with the length and timing of group sessions.
Length/number of sessions
“I wished it lasted a little longer”
“A longer session with extended support group”
Timing of sessions
Inflexible work schedules were a barrier to attendance.
Participants suggested scheduling “early morning sessions,” “late night sessions,” or “during the hours of 5-8 when people can make arrangements after work.”
A growing body of research supports the efficacy of mindfulness-based smoking cessation interventions.
However, more research is needed to examine the acceptability, feasibility, and effectiveness of these programs, as well as any necessary cultural adaptations, among underserved populations (e.g., low-income African American smokers, who experience profound tobacco- related disparities).
This mixed-methods feasibility study examined experiences with mindfulness-based smoking cessation treatment among low-income African American adults.
METHODS
Procedures
Participants were adult African American smokers who smoked at least 5 cigarettes per day for the past year and were motivated to quit smoking in the next 30 days.
Participants enrolled in 8 weeks of Mindfulness-Based Addiction Treatment (MBAT).
Participants completed program evaluations to indicate:
Whether they would recommend MBAT to others
Their confidence for continuing to practice mindfulness
What they liked and did not like about MBAT
Plans (if any) to continue practicing mindfulness
Recommendations for improvement
Mindfulness-Based Addiction Treatment
Eight weekly 2-hour group sessions
Extended 4-hour session on Quit Day (Week 5)
Both formal (e.g., sitting meditation, body scan, yoga) and informal (e.g., awareness of breath) mindfulness practices, with homework to practice between sessions
Mindfulness-based and cognitive behavioral strategies for quitting smoking
Nicotine patches
CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS
Results provide support for acceptability of mindfulness-based smoking cessation among low-income African American smokers.
Participants reported benefits of mindfulness for helping them quit smoking as well as managing stress more generally.
Considerations for future programs include:
Adding sessions for longer-term support and relapse prevention
Offering various scheduling options
Incorporating discussion of mindfulness in the context of religion or spirituality, depending on individual preferences
Funding. This work was supported by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (K23AT008442). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.