Effectiveness of tobacco cessation interventions delivered in clinical settings in South Asia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

TL;DR

A systematic review of 37 studies (22 randomized, 15 non-randomized) found that tobacco cessation interventions delivered in clinical settings in South Asia demonstrate effectiveness, with combined behavioral and pharmacotherapy approaches showing the strongest (though not statistically significant) results.

Key findings

• Interventions showed higher quit rates compared to control: RR 1.21 (0-3 months continuous abstinence) and RR 1.68-2.03 (>3 months follow-up)
• Combined behavioral counseling and pharmacotherapy interventions were most effective (RR 1.70, p=0.06)
• Majority of evidence from India (70.3%), with limited data from Pakistan, Nepal, and multi-country studies
• High heterogeneity (I² 94-97%) and methodological weaknesses limit certainty of findings

Why this matters at the bedside

Demonstrates that structured cessation interventions in clinical settings can improve quit rates in South Asian populations, supporting integration of behavioral-pharmacotherapy combinations into standard clinical practice despite evidence quality limitations.