Smoking cessation interventions for young adults – a scoping review

Background: In the UK the highest proportion of current smokers are in the 25-34 age group. Whilst some there are effective smoking cessation interventions, they are not always accessed by young adults. An up-to-date review of smoking cessation strategies for young people, has been conducted to understand the current state of the literature with view to the implications for people with severe mental ill health (SMI). Methods: A scoping review was conducted to explore individual-level interventions aimed at helping young adults to stop smoking. The protocol was registered on Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/8u24h/). We searched MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ASSIA and Web of Science databases. Randomised controlled trials publishes in English, conducted in any country in any setting with an aim of smoking cessation or reduction at an individual level were included. We extracted data on study design, participant characteristics, intervention and control conditions and key findings. A descriptive analytical approach was used, and the results presented in tables. Results: Thirty-one unique studies were identified for inclusion. Twenty were on pharmacological, two were pharmacological, and nine contained both non-pharmacological and pharmacological elements. Fifteen of the studies included a digitally delivered component. Conclusions: There is a growing body of research on individual-level smoking cessation interventions for young people. An increasing number of interventions are being delivered digitally. Further research should focus on ensuring that RCTs of digitally delivered interventions include diverse populations of young adults to ensure that existing inequalities are not exacerbated