Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39485008›Full record

SynthesisNicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco2025

Behavioral Interventions for Tobacco Cessation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Abhijit Nadkarni, Leena Gaikwad, Miriam Sequeira, Pranay Javeri, Deepthy Benoy, Marimilha Grace Pacheco, Richard Velleman, Pratima Murthy, Felix Naughton

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Nicotine & tobacco research : official journal of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Social determinants of health andFrontiers in public health · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Abhijit NadkarniDepartment of Population Health, Centre for Global Mental Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-5832-5236
Leena GaikwadAddictions and Related Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India.
Miriam SequeiraAddictions and Related Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India.ORCID 0000-0003-3764-3934
Pranay JaveriAddictions and Related Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India.
Deepthy BenoyAddictions and Related Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India.
Marimilha Grace PachecoAddictions and Related Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India.
Richard VellemanAddictions and Related Research Group, Sangath, Goa, India.
Pratima MurthyNational Institute of Mental Health & Neurosciences, Bengaluru, India.
Felix NaughtonSchool of Health Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-9790-2796

Funding

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)Medical Research Council (MRC)Wellcome TrustWellcome, UK MR/R018456/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionAn estimated 78% of the total deaths attributable to smoking tobacco use occurred in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in 2019. In addition, smokeless tobacco increases the risk of all-cause mortality, all cancers, including upper aero-digestive tract cancer, stomach cancer, ischemic heart disease and stroke, with 88% of the mortality burden being borne by the South-East Asian region. Evidence-based interventions from high-income countries (HICs) are not easily transferable to LMICs, as patterns of tobacco use, health beliefs associated with tobacco use, and awareness of specific health risks vary substantially.

methodsWe synthesized the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for tobacco cessation in LMICs through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Interventional studies which delivered individual behavioral intervention and assessed abstinence from tobacco use were included. We examined the pooled intervention effect at 6 months postintervention follow-up.

resultsFor continuous abstinence at 6 months, the intervention was superior to the active comparator (RR 2.32; 95% CI 1.78 to 3.02) and usual care (RR 4.39; 95% CI 2.38 to 8.11). For point prevalence abstinence at six months, the intervention was superior to the active comparator (RR 1.76; 95% CI 1.28 to 2.44), and usual care (RR 2.37; 95% CI 1.47 to 3.81). The statistical heterogeneity was substantial to considerable for all comparisons. Only six studies had an overall low risk of bias. Publication bias was observed for all comparisons except for 6-month continuous outcomes.

conclusionsImplementation research is needed to understand factors for programme sustainability and equity of the impact of behavioral interventions in reducing tobacco use in LMICs. IMPLICATIONS: Our review is an important step towards understanding the effectiveness of behavior interventions for tobacco cessation suited for LMICs and which are responsive to the contextual needs of such countries.

Indexed as

Behavior TherapyDeveloping CountriesSmoking CessationTobacco Use CessationHumans

Identifiers

PMID39485008
PMCPMC11931222

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.