Quit behavior among Hispanic persons who smoke: evaluating differences in nicotine replacement therapy

Hispanic individuals experience significant health disparities related to smoking. Research focused on the methods employed to quit smoking among the Hispanic population is needed to better understand how to increase engagement with evidence-based smoking cessation guidelines and mitigate smoking-related health disparities. The present investigation sought to: (1) document smoking cessation methods used in previous quit attempts, including Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT), and (2) test group differences (NRT use vs not) in smoking-related vulnerability processes (i.e., cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for smoking cessation, severity of problems when trying to quit, and number of prior failed quit attempts). Participants were recruited nationally throughout the United States via Qualtrics Panels and were 302 Hispanic adults (38.1% female, M_age = 35.70, SD = 8.63) who endorsed daily cigarette smoking and a prior quit attempt. Results indicated that the most common method of quitting was ‘cold turkey’ (65.6%), but other methods were also employed (e.g., gradual reduction of cigarettes, enlisting social support). Moreover, there was a substantial number (57.9%) who used NRT in the form of nicotine gum or patch. Additionally, across each of the criterion variables studied, those who had used NRT demonstrated greater cigarette dependence, perceived barriers for smoking cessation, severity of problems when trying to quit, and number of prior failed quit attempts when compared to persons with no such history of NRT use. Overall, these data suggest that history of NRT use may identify a subgroup of Hispanic persons in need of more intensive smoking cessation treatment. © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2025.