Effectiveness of nicotine-containing gum in the Physician-Delivered Smoking Intervention Study.
BACKGROUND
We tested the role of nicotine-containing gum (NCG) in conjunction with brief physician counseling in smoking cessation in the Physician-Delivered Smoking Intervention Project (PDSIP).


METHODS
Subjects were smokers randomized to the Counseling + NCG arm of the PDSIP. However, receipt and use of NCG were not randomized. Data from base-line, were not randomized. Data from baseline, pharmacy records, and 6-month monitoring calls were used in these post hoc analyses.


RESULTS
Of the 299 study subjects, 57% accepted NCG and 36% of acceptors used it for more than 7 days. Predictors of NCG acceptance included high desire to quit (OR = 1.21; 95% CI 1.10, 1.35), social support to quit (OR = 1.62; 95% CI 1.01, 2.59), being a general medicine patient compared with a family practice patient (OR = 3.22; 95% CI 2.01, 5.21), and receiving the intervention from a female physician (female physician-male patient OR = 2.27; 95% CI 0.95, 5.46; female physician-female patient OR = 1.94; 95% CI 1.06, 3.57) relative to the male physician comparisons. Subjects who refilled the NCG prescription had higher cessation rates than those who did not refill or did not accept the prescription (37% vs 19% and 20%, respectively; P = 0.04). Predictors of 6-month cessation among NCG users included a previous period(s) of abstinence > 3 months (OR = 1.23; 95% CI 1.04, 1.47), abstinence during illness (OR = 0.39; 95% CI 0.17, 0.86), and absence of smoking-related physical complaints the month prior to the physician-delivered intervention (OR = 0.40; 95% CI 0.17, 0.94).


CONCLUSIONS
Amount of NCG use in conjunction with physician-delivered smoking cessation counseling might have contributed in helping unselected smokers quit.
Rosal
M C
MC
University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester 01655, USA.
Ockene
J K
JK
Hurley
T G
TG
Kalan
K
K
Hebert
J R
JR
D000328:Adult; D002638:Chewing Gum; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D002638:Chewing Gum; D009538:Nicotine