title: Telephone support as an adjunct to transdermal nicotine in smoking cessation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Transdermal nicotine patches have shown considerable promise in improving smoking cessation outcomes. The present study assessed telephone support as an adjunct to a managed care-based, single-session group orientation smoking cessation program with nicotine patch therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The unit of randomization was the orientation session (n = 35). Subjects (n = 509) were randomly assigned to a group session without telephone support, the session plus access to a toll-free help line, or the session with telephone help line plus active telephone outreach.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Contrary to hypothesis, there were no differences between treatment conditions. Overall abstinence rates were 22% at 6 months and 21% at 1 year. Fewer than 1% of eligible subjects called the toll-free help line. An average of 3.8 of a possible 4 calls were completed in the telephone outreach condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Abstinence results obtained in this program were comparable to those obtained with more extensive counseling. However, there was no evidence of benefit from telephone support beyond the initial physician-led group orientation session.
authors.affiliation: Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454-1015, USA.
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Lando
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rolnick
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klevan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roski
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cherney
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lauger
mesh_terms: D000279:Administration, Cutaneous; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D013689:Telephone
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine