Abstract
WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TOPIC? Medication non-adherence significantly impedes smoking cessation efforts. While effective smoking cessation medications are accessible in China, real-world adherence and its correlation with treatment outcomes remain largely unexplored. WHAT IS ADDED BY THIS REPORT? From December 2017 to January 2022, 1,120 participants were recruited from 27 centers in all seven geographical regions of China. Results revealed that only 38.2% of smokers adhered to the prescribed 12-week smoking cessation treatment and those with a higher education level were more likely to be adherent. In addition, smokers with good adherence were more likely to successfully quit smoking. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE? The data obtained could enhance our understanding of smoking cessation practices in China. Improving adherence is a crucial strategy to enhance the effectiveness of smoking cessation treatments and management provided to smokers.