title: [Effectiveness of a group therapy intervention to quit smoking. Randomized clinical trial].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Group therapy is a widely used technique for the treatment of tobacco, alcohol and other toxic addictions. Nevertheless, its effectiveness for smoking cessation remains to be established. Our objective was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of a group intervention versus an individual intervention for smoking cessation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized clinical trial of 106 smokers wishing to quit their addiction, who were assigned to two types of intervention: Short Individual Intervention (SII) and Group Intervention (GI). Nicotine patches were administered as supplemental therapy when needed in both instances. Results were assessed by intention to treat analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although smoking cessation rates decreased in parallel with longer follow-up periods in each intervention group (from 39.6 to 26.4% and from 22.6 to 15.1% for GI and SII groups, respectively, at 3 and 6-months), the relative effectiveness was similar during both periods and there was no better response to any intervention at 3-months (relative risk [RR] = 1.75; CI95%, 0.96-3.18) and at 6-months (RR = 1.75; CI95%, 0.80-3.82). Compliance with GI was low and less than 60% of smokers attended to 5 out of 7 GI sessions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Group intervention (GI) is not more effective than short individual intervention to quit smoking. However, this fact could be due to the low compliance observed with regard to smokers' attendance to GI sessions.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Salud General Moscardó, Insalud Area V, Madrid, Spain. a_asensio@retemail.es
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Camarelles
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Asensio
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Ruiz
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Becerril
authors.forename: Dolores
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rodero
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Vidaller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D016896:Treatment Outcome