Integrated smoking cessation and binge drinking intervention for young adults: a pilot investigation.
BACKGROUND
Alcohol consumption is strongly associated with cigarette smoking in young adults.


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the acceptability and estimate the magnitude of the effect of a novel-integrated smoking cessation and binge-drinking intervention for young adults compared with standard treatment control.


METHODS
Participants were 41 young adult smokers (≥ 10 cigarettes per day) who regularly (≥ 2 times per month) binge drank who were randomly assigned to standard treatment (n = 19) involving eight individual treatment visits plus 8 weeks of nicotine patch therapy or the identical smoking cessation treatment integrated with a binge-drinking intervention (integrated intervention; n = 22).


RESULTS
Participants rated integrated intervention as highly acceptable as indicated by 100% of participants rating helpfulness as 5 on 5-point scale. Using an intent-to-treat analysis for tobacco abstinence, at both week 12 end of treatment and week 24 follow-up, more participants who received integrated intervention were biochemically confirmed abstinent from tobacco than those who received standard treatment (36% vs. 21% at week 12; 23% vs. 11% at week 24). At week 24, change from baseline in binge-drinking episodes, drinks consumed, and drinking days between treatment groups were similar (intent-to-treat analysis was not used for alcohol data).


CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary data support the intriguing possibility that integrated intervention may enhance smoking cessation and reduce binge drinking.
Ames
Steven C
SC
Division of Hematology and Oncology, Mayo Clinic, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA. ames.steven@mayo.edu
Werch
Chudley E
CE
Ames
Gretchen E
GE
Lange
Lori J
LJ
Schroeder
Darrell R
DR
Hanson
Andrew C
AC
Patten
Christi A
CA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000628:therapy*; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D057194:Intention to Treat Analysis; D008297:Male; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012907:Smoking / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D009538:Nicotine