Smoking cessation in patients with COPD in daily general practice (SMOCC): six months' results.
BACKGROUND
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) forms an increasing health problem. Despite smoking cessation improving the prognosis of the disease, many patients persist smoking. The present study presents the results of a smoking cessation counseling protocol in general practice (Smoking Cessation in patients with COPD in general practice (SMOCC)).


METHODS
A randomized controlled trial of patients with COPD compared smoking cessation counseling according to an intensified minimal intervention strategy with usual care. In total 43 general practices with 392 patients participated in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, in 2001-2002.


RESULTS
Significantly more smokers in the experimental group made a quit attempt (44.9% versus 36.5%) and actually quit smoking than in the control group (16.0% versus 8.8%). The motivation to stop smoking at baseline was not associated with smoking cessation.


CONCLUSIONS
The SMOCC strategy doubled the self-reported quit rates and was complied well by the general practitioners. Implementation in general practice is recommended.
Hilberink
Sander R
SR
Centre for Quality of Care Research (WOK), University Medical Centre Nijmegen St. Radboud, KWAZO 229, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands. S.Hilberink@kwazo.umcn.nl
Jacobs
Johanna E
JE
Bottema
Ben J A M
BJ
de Vries
Hein
H
Grol
Richard P T M
RP
D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D015397:Program Evaluation; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive; D016540:Smoking Cessation