title: Anti-smoking programme for diabetic patients: the agony and the ecstasy.
abstract: It is generally accepted that people with diabetes should be encouraged to abstain from smoking but there are few data on the best strategy to implement this. In a preliminary survey of our diabetic patients, knowledge of the general and specific health effects of smoking was poor. In a prospective study of 70 diabetic smokers, only 50% agreed to participate in an anti-smoking programme, and the drop-out rate was high irrespective of whether the content of the programme was general or specific for diabetes. The enrollment rate was best 2 months after the diagnosis of diabetes and the drop-out rate was highest in patients recruited immediately following diagnosis. According to self-reported data, cigarette consumption fell after the first session of the anti-smoking programme but this could not be verified by the measurement of plasma cotinine. It is concluded that an anti-smoking counselling programme based on provision of information, within the context of a specialized diabetes centre, is not cost-effective.
authors.affiliation: Diabetes Centre, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Hoskins
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McGill
authors.forename: S P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Dutton
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Turtle
mesh_terms: D003367:Cotinine / Q000097:blood; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000523:psychology*; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000534:rehabilitation*
chemical_list: D003367:Cotinine