Aim
To evaluate smokeless tobacco cessation in communities of South Asian origin.
Design
Multi‐centre prospective cohort study.
Setting
Three tobacco cessation services offering specialist smokeless tobacco cessation outreach clinic support to South Asians (Bangladeshi, Indian and Pakistani) resident in England.
Participants
A total of 239 South Asian participants seeking to stop smokeless tobacco use between November 2010 and December 2011.
Measurements
Socio‐demographics, tobacco use and dependence, self‐reported abstinence at 4 weeks and satisfaction measures.
Findings
Participants' mean age was 45 [standard deviation (SD) = 13] years, were predominantly female (76%), of Bangladeshi origin (74%), either home carers (53%) or not working (29%). Sixty‐three per cent were recruited from community locations, 21% through a clinical contact and 16% through friends and family. Mean daily number of smokeless tobacco intakes was 10 (SD = 7) and the mean dependence score was 4.5 (SD = 1.9). Sixty‐three per cent of participants achieved continuous abstinence 4 weeks after quitting. Using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) versus not using it [OR = 3.47, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.25, 9.62] and below median (≤8) daily smokeless tobacco intakes (OR = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.07, 3.40) predicted successful abstinence.
Conclusion
South Asian smokeless tobacco users resident in England accessing services to help them stop appear to have short‐term success rates comparable with smokers attending stop‐smoking services, with higher success rates being reported by those using nicotine replacement therapy.