COIOSDeep risk insights through multi-disciplinary research across the globe
buildings with road under white sky
Item new Peer-reviewed Added

Quit rates at Hong Kong cessation services halved after COVID-19 emergency measures

Among 1762 adults using community cessation services in Hong Kong, validated six-month abstinence fell from 12.3% before the January 2020 emergency response to 6.8% after it.

Two randomised cessation trials in Hong Kong were reanalysed before and after the emergency response level was raised on 25 January 2020. Six-month biochemically validated abstinence among the 1762 participants fell from 12.3% before the change to 6.8% after it. Self-reported abstinence was also lower at three and six months, although the comparison is before and after a date rather than between randomised arms.

Why it is interesting: Puts a figure on how far a validated quit rate fell across the first pandemic measures.

Source
Tobacco Control, 18 September 2026
Paper
Association of early-stage COVID-19 policy changes with smoking cessation outcomes: secondary analysis of two randomised trials in Hong Kong
Authors
He AWJ, Wong NT, Wang MP, Chan SSC, Cheung YTD
DOI
10.1136/tc-2025-059954
Type
Peer-reviewed article
Design
Secondary before-after analysis of two randomised cessation trials, n=1762, Hong Kong 2018-2021
Verdict
New finding
Driver
Smoking and vaping

Other drivers in Behavioural science