Gender differences in experiences with interventions for smoking cessation and alcohol reduction: A qualitative systematic review

Aim: There are notable gender differences in access to and effectiveness of interventions for smoking cessation and alcohol reduction. In order to understand these differences, this review provides an overview of gender differences and similarities in clients’ experiences and needs regarding interventions for smoking cessation and alcohol reduction.

Subject and methods: A systematic literature search was carried out in March 2024, using four electronic databases: Web of Science, PubMed, PsycINFO and CINAHL. Keywords included terms for gender, intervention, alcohol use or smoking behaviour, and experiences or needs. The results sections were analysed using a qualitative thematic synthesis.

Results: In total, 38 articles were included. Clients’ experiences and needs regarding interventions appear to be similar between women and men in several aspects. However, there are notable differences regarding the accessibility (e.g., men more often believe that interventions are ineffective), group or individual environment (e.g., women are more likely to favour women-only groups), intervention components (e.g., men are more likely to favour incentives and competition), content topics (e.g., men are less inclined to reflect on themselves), supportive approach (e.g., women felt judged by professionals more often), and results (e.g., women are more likely to feel empowered).

Conclusion: Clients’ experiences and needs regarding alcohol reduction and smoking cessation interventions are similar across genders, indicating that there is a basis for standard interventions. However, there are also differences between genders, suggesting that it may be important to consider the unique experiences of different genders when tailoring interventions to their needs.