title: Effectiveness of pharmacist counseling combined with nicotine replacement therapy: a pragmatic randomized trial with 6,987 smokers.
abstract: Pharmacists may be effective health care practitioners to deliver smoking cessation interventions. This paper examines the short-term outcomes of smokers randomized to one of two models of a pharmacist-led smoking cessation intervention.
  
  
  METHODS
  An open-label pragmatic randomized trial compared two models of a pharmacist-led behavioral intervention [Group A (3-sessions) vs. Group B (1-session)] in conjunction with 5 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). Ninety-eight pharmacies in Ontario, Canada delivered the intervention. Baseline demographic and smoking behavior data were recorded, as were intervention characteristics. Self-reported, 7-day point prevalence quit rates were obtained 5-week postintervention start date.
  
  
  RESULTS
  6,987 individuals participated; 51.4% (n = 3588) randomized to Group A; 48.6% (n = 3399) to Group B. Approximately, 50% of Group A participants completed all three sessions. Quit rates were significantly higher among Group A, 3-session completers (27.7%; n = 478) compared to Group B participants (18.0%; n = 604). Multivariable results suggest that even when controlling for possible confounders and clustering across pharmacies, Group A participants who completed all three sessions were more likely to quit compared to Group B [OR = 1.72 (95% CI: 1.53, 1.94)].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cessation outcomes are higher among participants completing three intervention sessions compared to one session; however, many do not return for follow-up sessions.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Mary Jean
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Costello
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sproule
authors.forename: J Charles
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Victor
authors.forename: Scott T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Leatherdale
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zawertailo
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Selby
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000465:Algorithms; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D037001:Directive Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010595:Pharmacists; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine