Telephone support as an adjunct to transdermal nicotine in smoking cessation.
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.
Lando
H A
HA
Division of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis 55454-1015, USA.
Rolnick
S
S
Klevan
D
D
Roski
J
J
Cherney
L
L
Lauger
G
G
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
D009538:Nicotine