Gender based Differences in Tobacco Cessation initiatives: A Bibliometric Review Analysis

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. 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.