The Initial and Ongoing Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Reach and Impact of a US State Tobacc

An LC, Brown KS, Furgal AKC, Saqib MA, Shamo FJ.
The Initial and Ongoing Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Reach and Impact of a US State Tobacco Quitline
Tob Prev Cessat. 2025 May 23;11. doi: 10.18332/tpc/203869. PMID: 40416806; PMCID: PMC12100942.

Introduction: This study examines the long-term effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the reach and impact of one US state tobacco quitline while taking into account quitline offers of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT).

Methods: This is a pre-post analysis from January 2017 through June 2023 of the reach and impact of Michigan's tobacco quitline after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We assess quitline reach (number of callers per month), effectiveness (self-reported 30-day abstinence at 6 months), and impact (number of new ex-tobacco users per month). We examine the main effects and interactions between pandemic status (i.e. pre vs post March 2020) and quitline offers of free NRT.

Results: The COVID-19 pandemic had a persistent negative effect on quitline reach (p=0.002) and impact (p<0.001). Abstinence rates decreased transiently during the first year of the pandemic. Offering free NRT had a positive effect on quitline reach (p<0.001) and impact (p<0.001) before and after the start of the pandemic. For quitline reach, we found a significant interaction between pandemic and free NRT effects with a substantial decrease in the mean number of callers per month after the pandemic during months when free NRT is being offered (750; 95% CI: 545-1033, pre-pandemic vs 302; 95% CI: 233-392, post-pandemic) compared to months when free NRT is not being offered (247; 95% CI: 187-327, pre-pandemic vs 159; 95% CI: 114-221, post-pandemic).

Conclusions: There is a critical need to assess and address the ongoing effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on tobacco quitline reach and impact.