Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study

Background: Acupressure has been widely used to help people quit for a long time in China. This study explores the feasibility and effects of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence to inform policy and decision-making. Methods: This was a single-group study with a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ying-Ying Zhang, Yi-Jie Liu, Yuan Wang, Chen Shen, Shi-Bing Liang, Nicola Robinson, Hai-Fa Qiao, Jian-Ping Liu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Integrative Medicine Research
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024001008
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850219736980258816
author Ying-Ying Zhang
Yi-Jie Liu
Yuan Wang
Chen Shen
Shi-Bing Liang
Nicola Robinson
Hai-Fa Qiao
Jian-Ping Liu
author_facet Ying-Ying Zhang
Yi-Jie Liu
Yuan Wang
Chen Shen
Shi-Bing Liang
Nicola Robinson
Hai-Fa Qiao
Jian-Ping Liu
author_sort Ying-Ying Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Background: Acupressure has been widely used to help people quit for a long time in China. This study explores the feasibility and effects of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence to inform policy and decision-making. Methods: This was a single-group study with a pre/posttest design. The participants received four weeks of auricular acupressure treatment, led by a registered acupuncturist. Smoking cravings, nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and number of cigarettes per day (CPD) were recorded before and after treatment. Changes in outcomes were analyzed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks using SPSS software version 22.0. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants to explore their experiences and attitudes toward auricular acupressure. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 20 participants completed this study. A significant reduction was observed in smoking cravings (F = 11.02, P < 0.05), nicotine dependence (F = 11.09, P < 0.05), withdrawal symptoms (F = 11.19, P < 0.05), and CPD (F = 19.03, P < 0.05) across sessions. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms decreased significantly from 2 weeks to 4 weeks (P < 0.05) of acupressure treatment. Three interrelated themes emerged from the interviews: personal and external resources, the psychological and physical effects of acupressure, and satisfaction with acupressure for smoking cessation. Conclusions: The quantitative and qualitative data suggest that acupressure maybe effectively decrease nicotine dependence and smoking cravings. However, this was a pilot and single-arm study, and these findings must be further verified. The study supports the feasibility and safety of introducing acupressure therapy for smoking cessation in young smokers.
format Article
id doaj-art-e47b2d7383084b10b19c3801406a2d5d
institution OA Journals
issn 2213-4220
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Integrative Medicine Research
spelling doaj-art-e47b2d7383084b10b19c3801406a2d5d2025-08-20T02:07:17ZengElsevierIntegrative Medicine Research2213-42202025-03-0114110112010.1016/j.imr.2024.101120Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods studyYing-Ying Zhang0Yi-Jie Liu1Yuan Wang2Chen Shen3Shi-Bing Liang4Nicola Robinson5Hai-Fa Qiao6Jian-Ping Liu7College of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Drug Combination, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, ChinaCollege of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, ChinaCollege of Acupuncture-Moxibustion and Tuina, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China; Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Drug Combination, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, ChinaClinical Study Center, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China; Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China; Postdoctoral Research Station, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, ChinaCentre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Institute of Health and Social Care, London South Bank University, London, UKShaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Drug Combination, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China; Shaanxi Collaborative Innovation Center of TCM Technologies and Devices, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, China; Corresponding authors at: Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Drug Combination, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, 712046, China (H.-F. Qiao); Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China (J.-P. Liu).Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China; Corresponding authors at: Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Acupuncture and Drug Combination, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang, 712046, China (H.-F. Qiao); Centre for Evidence-Based Chinese Medicine, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China (J.-P. Liu).Background: Acupressure has been widely used to help people quit for a long time in China. This study explores the feasibility and effects of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence to inform policy and decision-making. Methods: This was a single-group study with a pre/posttest design. The participants received four weeks of auricular acupressure treatment, led by a registered acupuncturist. Smoking cravings, nicotine dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and number of cigarettes per day (CPD) were recorded before and after treatment. Changes in outcomes were analyzed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks using SPSS software version 22.0. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants to explore their experiences and attitudes toward auricular acupressure. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 20 participants completed this study. A significant reduction was observed in smoking cravings (F = 11.02, P < 0.05), nicotine dependence (F = 11.09, P < 0.05), withdrawal symptoms (F = 11.19, P < 0.05), and CPD (F = 19.03, P < 0.05) across sessions. Additionally, withdrawal symptoms decreased significantly from 2 weeks to 4 weeks (P < 0.05) of acupressure treatment. Three interrelated themes emerged from the interviews: personal and external resources, the psychological and physical effects of acupressure, and satisfaction with acupressure for smoking cessation. Conclusions: The quantitative and qualitative data suggest that acupressure maybe effectively decrease nicotine dependence and smoking cravings. However, this was a pilot and single-arm study, and these findings must be further verified. The study supports the feasibility and safety of introducing acupressure therapy for smoking cessation in young smokers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024001008AcupressureSmoking cessationMixed methods studyYoung smokersNicotine dependence
spellingShingle Ying-Ying Zhang
Yi-Jie Liu
Yuan Wang
Chen Shen
Shi-Bing Liang
Nicola Robinson
Hai-Fa Qiao
Jian-Ping Liu
Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study
Integrative Medicine Research
Acupressure
Smoking cessation
Mixed methods study
Young smokers
Nicotine dependence
title Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study
title_full Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study
title_fullStr Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study
title_full_unstemmed Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study
title_short Effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence: A mixed methods study
title_sort effect of acupressure on smoking cessation in young smokers with nicotine dependence a mixed methods study
topic Acupressure
Smoking cessation
Mixed methods study
Young smokers
Nicotine dependence
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213422024001008
work_keys_str_mv AT yingyingzhang effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT yijieliu effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT yuanwang effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT chenshen effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT shibingliang effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT nicolarobinson effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT haifaqiao effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy
AT jianpingliu effectofacupressureonsmokingcessationinyoungsmokerswithnicotinedependenceamixedmethodsstudy