title: Double-blind, randomized trial of cessation of smoking after audiotape suggestion during anaesthesia.
abstract: We studied the use of intraoperative tape suggestion to improve the rate of cessation of smoking in 363 smokers who wanted to stop smoking. They were allocated randomly to hear a taped message encouraging them to stop smoking or to a blank tape, played during general anaesthesia. Overall 56 patients (15.4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 11.7-19.1%) had claimed to have stopped smoking at 2 months and 29 patients (8.0%, 95% CI 5.9-10.1%) were confirmed to have stopped smoking at 6 months. There was no significant difference between the groups at either 2 or 6 months (risk ratios 1.06 and 1.09, respectively, P = 0.78). A preoperative:postoperative ratio of a visual analogue scale measuring the patient's motivation to stop smoking was not significantly different (control group 1.13 vs message group 1.10, P = 0.55). This study does not support the hypothesis that intraoperative tape suggestion can change smoking behaviour.
authors.affiliation: Alfred Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Myles
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hendrata
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Layher
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hall
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Moloney
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Powell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001364:Awareness; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013404:Suggestion; D013637:Tape Recording