title: Effectiveness of intensive group and individual interventions for smoking cessation in primary health care settings: a randomized trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Primary: To compare the effectiveness of intensive group and individual interventions for smoking cessation in a primary health care setting; secondary: to identify the variables associated with smoking cessation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-pronged clinical trial with randomisation at the individual level. We performed the following: an intensive individual intervention (III), an intensive group intervention (IGI) and a minimal intervention (MI). Included in the study were smokers who were prepared to quit smoking. Excluded from the study were individuals aged less than 18 years or with severe mental conditions or terminal illnesses. The outcome measure was continued abstinence at 12 months confirmed through CO-oximetry (CO). The analysis was based on intention to treat.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 287 smokers were recruited: 81 in the III, 111 in the IGI, and 95 in the MI. Continued abstinence at 12 months confirmed through CO was 7.4% in the III, 5.4% in the IGI, and 1% in the MI. No significant differences were noted between III and MI on the one hand, and between IGI and MI on the other [RR 7.04 (0.9-7.2) and RR 5.1 (0.6-41.9), respectively]. No differences were noted between IGI and III [RR 0.7 (0.2-2.2)]. In multivariate analysis, only overall visit length showed a statistically significant association with smoking cessation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effectiveness of intensive smoking interventions in this study was lower than expected. No statistically significant differences were found between the results of individual and group interventions.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ISRCTN32323770.
authors.affiliation: Deparment of Public Health, Balearic Department of Health, Palma, Spain. mramos@dgsanita.caib.es
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Joana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ripoll
authors.forename: Teresa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Estrades
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Socias
authors.forename: Antonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fe
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duro
authors.forename: Maria José
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: González
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Servera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*