Tobacco use outcomes of adolescents treated clinically for nicotine dependence.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the tobacco use outcomes and baseline characteristics of adolescents treated for nicotine dependence.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study.


METHODS
Mayo Clinic Nicotine Dependence Center, Rochester, Minn.


METHODS
Ninety-six adolescents (60 boys, 36 girls) receiving clinical services for treatment of nicotine dependence between January 1, 1988, and November 30, 1997. Their mean age was 15.6 years (range, 11-17 years), and 91.7% were white.


METHODS
The Nicotine Dependence Center intervention involves a 45-minute consultation with a nicotine dependence counselor. A treatment plan individualized to the patient's needs is then developed. Telephone follow-up is conducted at 6 and 12 months. As part of this study, a long-term follow-up was conducted by telephone at a mean of 5.3 years (range, 1.6-10.6 years) following the intervention.


METHODS
Self-reported 7-day point-prevalence abstinence from tobacco at 6 and 12 months, and 30-day point-prevalence tobacco abstinence at the long-term follow-up.


RESULTS
The tobacco abstinence rates were 17.7% (17/96 patients) at 6 months, 7.3% (7/96 patients) at 12 months, and 11.5% (11/96 patients) at the long-term follow-up. A high proportion of the sample had smoking-related medical morbidity and psychiatric diagnoses documented in the medical record prior to or at the time of the intervention.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents utilize the medical community to seek treatment for nicotine dependence. The 6-month tobacco abstinence rate is higher than the estimates of the natural history of smoking cessation in adolescents. Medical and psychiatric diagnoses are common in this population.
Patten
C A
CA
Nicotine Dependence Center, Mayo Clinic, 200 First St SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. patten.christi@mayo.edu
Ames
S C
SC
Ebbert
J O
JO
Wolter
T D
TD
Hurt
R D
RD
Gauvin
T R
TR
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D002648:Child; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013689:Telephone; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome