Gender based Differences in Tobacco Cessation initiatives: A Bibliometric Review Analysis
Tobacco cessation patterns
Keywords:
Gender, tobacco, bibliometric, review, cessationAbstract
Introduction
As per the Global Action to end smoking report in 2022, India had 253 million tobacco users, ranking second globally. According to NFHS-5 (2019-21), tobacco use was highest among males aged 50-64 (52.8%). Men and women exhibited similar quit attempts, but women were 31% less likely to succeed due to factors like post-cessation weight gain and Varenicline response differences. This study assesses global research and academic literature trends on gender differences in tobacco cessation.
Methods
Bibliographic data were collected from PubMed using search terms related to tobacco cessation and gender differences. 483 publications were analyzed using VOSviewer 1.6.19 and RStudio 4.4.0. Key data included publication years, authors, country, keywords, and citation count. Co-authorship and keyword networks were visualized to identify key themes and collaborations.
Results :Publication growth was slow until 2006 but rose sharply from 2012 onward, peaking between 2018-2022 before declining in 2023-24. The USA and Canada led research output, with the University of Michigan and University of California as top contributors. “Tobacco use cessation devices” gained prominence from 2015-2021, while “smoking cessation” and “tobacco products” were terms frequently used from 2017-2022. Early studies (2008-2010) were largely USA- and Canada-focused but from 2018 multiple studies emphasized genetic and socioeconomic factors influencing quit attempts among both genders.
Conclusion :This bibliometric analysis highlights research trends in tobacco cessation, emphasizing the need for intervention-focused studies to address gender disparities globally. While descriptive studies remain valuable, intervention research is needed to bridge gender gaps in tobacco cessation outcomes.
Downloads
References
References
Sieminska A, Jassem E. The many faces of tobacco use among women. Med Sci Monit. 2014;20:153-162.
World Health Organization. Non-age-standardized estimates of current tobacco use, tobacco smoking and cigarette smoking. Tobacco Control Monitor. Published 2024. Accessed March 2025. Available from:https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/indicators/indicator-details/GHO/gho-tobacco-control-monitor-current-tobaccouse-tobaccosmoking-cigarrettesmoking-nonagestd-tobnonagestdcurr
International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW). National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), 2019-2021: India Report. Mumbai: IIPS; 2021.
Cosgrove KP, Wang S, Kim SJ, et al. Sex differences in the brain’s dopamine signature of cigarette smoking. J Neurosci. 2014;34(50):16851-16855.
Al’Absi M, Nakajima M, Allen S, Lemieux A, Hatsukami D. Sex differences in hormonal responses to stress and smoking relapse: a prospective examination. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(4):382-389.
National Institute on Drug Abuse. Are there gender differences in tobacco smoking? Published January 1, 2020. Accessed March 2025. Available from: https://nida.nih.gov/publications/research-reports/tobacco-nicotine-e-cigarettes/are-there-gender-differences-in-tobacco-smoking
Wray JM, Gray KM, McClure EA, et al. Gender differences in responses to cues presented in the natural environment of cigarette smokers. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(4):438-442.
Smith PH, Kasza KA, Hyland A, et al. Gender differences in medication use and cigarette smoking cessation: results from the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(4):463-472.
Audrain-McGovern J, Wileyto EP, Ashare R, et al. Behavioral activation for smoking cessation and the prevention of smoking cessation-related weight gain: a randomized trial. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2023;244:109792.
Perkins KA, Karelitz JL. Sex differences in acute relief of abstinence-induced withdrawal and negative affect due to nicotine content in cigarettes. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(4):443-448.
Ferguson SG, Frandsen M, Dunbar MS, Shiffman S. Gender and stimulus control of smoking behavior. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(4):431-437.
Harris KK, Zopey M, Friedman TC. Metabolic effects of smoking cessation. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2016;12(11):684.
McKee SA, Smith PH, Kaufman M, Mazure CM, Weinberger AH. Sex differences in varenicline efficacy for smoking cessation: a meta-analysis. Nicotine Tob Res. 2016;18(5):1002-1011.
Rose JE, Behm FM. Combination treatment with varenicline and bupropion in an adaptive smoking cessation paradigm. Am J Psychiatry. 2014;171(11):1199-1205.
Gaya PV, Santos JR, Tomaz PRX, et al. Efficacy of bupropion and varenicline genetic markers in choosing pharmacological treatment for smoking cessation, and implications for combining drugs: a randomized controlled trial (GENTSMOKING). Tob Induc Dis. 2024;22(April):62.
Koskinen J, Isohanni M, Paajala H, et al. How to use bibliometric methods in evaluation of scientific research? An example from Finnish schizophrenia research. Nord J Psychiatry. 2008;62(2):136-143.
Nutbeam D, Smith C, Catford J. Evaluation in health education: a review of progress, possibilities, and problems. J Epidemiol Community Health. 1990;44(2):83-89.
Nutbeam D. Achieving ‘best practice’ in health promotion: improving the fit between research and practice. Health Educ Res. 1996;11(3):317-326.
Szatkowski L, McNeill A. Diverging trends in smoking behaviors according to mental health status. Nicotine Tob Res. 2015;17(3):356-360.
Bauer MS, Damschroder L, Hagedorn H, Smith J, Kilbourne AM. An introduction to implementation science for the non-specialist. BMC Psychol. 2015;3(1):32.
Meslin EM, Blasimme A, Cambon-Thomsen A. Mapping the translational science policy ‘valley of death’. Clin Transl Med. 2013;2(1):14.
World Health Organization. WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic, 2019: Offer Help to Quit Tobacco Use. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2019:44-45.
World Health Organization. WHO Report on the Global Tobacco Epidemic 2021: Addressing New and Emerging Products. Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2021:63.
Nakagawa S, Takahashi Y, Nakayama T, et al. Gender differences in smoking initiation and cessation associated with the intergenerational transfer of smoking across three generations: the Nagahama study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(3):1511.
Fidler J, Ferguson SG, Brown J, Stapleton J, West R. How does rate of smoking cessation vary by age, gender and social grade? Findings from a population survey in England. Addiction. 2013;108:1680-1685.
Lee A, Lee KS, Lee D, et al. The utilization of national tobacco cessation services among female smokers and the need for a gender-responsive approach. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(10):5313.
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Latika Nath Sinha, Vijay Kumar, Laxmikant Purohit, Sanjay Choudhary, Sonu Goel, Sakshi Sharma
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
