The Concept of a Large Group-Based Approach for Intensive Smoking Cessation: The Gold Standard Program (GSP)

In this study, the effect of the intensive “Quitter” intervention for smoking cessation was examined and compared to the standardized intensive intervention used in Denmark. The Quitter intervention, based on the Gold Standard Program (Q-GSP), involves large groups of approximately 70 participants, while the standardized GSP typically involves groups of 10–15 participants. In total, 105 and 14,289 smokers participated in the Q-GSP and the standardized GSP, respectively, between 2022 and 2023. Data from the Danish STOPbase database were used, with validated information from one municipality for the Q-GSP. Successful smoking cessation was defined as abstinence from smoking at the end of the intervention and continuous abstinence at the 6-month follow-up. The results showed that 73% of the participants in the Quitter group successfully stopped smoking at the end of the interventions, compared to 50% in the standardized I-SCI group. At the 6-month follow-ups, 49% of the Quitter intervention group members maintained abstinence versus 31% of the standardized I-SCI group, with a statistically significant relative risk (RR) of 2.18 (95% CI 1.48–3.22). Compliance and satisfaction were high in both groups. These findings indicate the potential for large group-based interventions to be broadly integrated into public health strategies.