RESEARCH REPORT © 2004 Society for the Study of Addiction doi:10.1111/j.1360-0443.2004.00754.x Addiction, 99, 1042–1048 Blackwell Science, LtdOxford, UKADDAddiction0965-2140© 2004 Society for the Study of Addiction 99•••••• Original Article Smoking cessation knowledge and behaviour D. Hammond et al. Correspondence to: David Hammond Department of Psychology University of Waterloo 200 University Avenue West Waterloo Ontario N2L 3G1 Canada Tel. 519 886 4567, ext. 3597 Fax: 519 746 8631 E-mail: dhammond@uwaterloo.ca Submitted 25 August 2003; initial review completed 25 November 2003; final version accepted 18 February 2004 Do smokers know how to quit? Knowledge and perceived effectiveness of cessation assistance as predictors of cessation behaviour D. Hammond 1 , P. W. McDonald 2,3,4 , G. T. Fong 1,3 & R. Borland 5 Departments of Psychology 1 and Health Studies, University of Waterloo, Ontario, 2 Centre for Behavioural Research and Program Evaluation, Canadian Cancer Society/National Cancer Institute of Canada, 3 Ontario Tobacco Research Unit, Canada 4 and VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control, Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, Australia 5 ABSTRACT Aims Despite the existence of effective cessation methods, the vast majority of smokers attempt to quit on their own. To date, there is little evidence to explain the low adoption rates for effective forms of cessation assistance, including pharmaceutical aids. This study sought to assess smokers’ awareness and per- ceived effectiveness of cessation methods and to examine the relationship of this knowledge to cessation behaviour. Design A random-digit-dial telephone survey (response rate = 76%) with 3- month follow-up was conducted with 616 adult daily smokers in South- Western Ontario, Canada. Measurements A baseline survey assessed smoking behaviour, as well as smokers’ awareness and perceived effectiveness of cessation assistance. A follow-up survey measured changes in smoking behaviour and adoption of cessation assistance at 3 months. Findings Participants demonstrated a poor recall of cessation methods: 45% of participants did not recall nicotine gum, 33% did not recall the nicotine patch and 57% did not recall bupropion. Also, many participants did not believe that the following cessation methods would increase their likelihood of quitting: nic- otine replacement therapies (36%), bupropion (35%), counselling from a health professional (66%) and group counselling/quit programmes (50%). In addition, 78% of smokers indicated that they were just as likely to quit on their own as they were with assistance. Most important, participants who perceived cessa- tion methods to be effective at baseline, were more likely to intend to quit (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.12–2.90), make a quit attempt at follow-up (OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.03–3.16) and to adopt cessation assistance when doing so (OR = 3.62, 95% CI: 1.04–12.58). Conclusions This research suggests that many smokers may be unaware of effective cessation methods and most underestimate their benefit. Further, this lack of knowledge may represent a significant barrier to treatment adoption. KEYWORDS Cessation, cessation knowledge, effectiveness, smoking, treatment adoption. INTRODUCTION Approximately half of smokers attempt to quit each year, yet less than 10% succeed [1,2]. Although effective ces- sation therapies exist, their public health benefit has been limited because close to 80% of smokers who attempt to quit do so without stop-smoking medications or any other method of assistance [1,3].