title: Effectiveness of an intensive E-mail based intervention in smoking cessation (TABATIC study): study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intensive interventions on smoking cessation increase abstinence rates. However, few electronic mail (E-mail) based intensive interventions have been tested in smokers and none in primary care (PC) setting. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an intensive E-mail based intervention in smokers attending PC services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomized Controlled Multicentric Trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  1060 smokers aged between 18-70 years from Catalonia, Salamanca and Aragón (Spain) who have and check regularly an E-mail account. Patients will be randomly assigned to control or intervention group.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six phase intensive intervention with two face to face interviews and four automatically created and personal E-mail patients tracking, if needed other E-mail contacts will be made. Control group will receive a brief advice on smoking cessation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Will be measured at 6 and 12 months after intervention: self reported continuous abstinence (confirmed by cooximetry), point prevalence abstinence, tobacco consumption, evolution of stage according to Prochaska and DiClemente's Stages of Change Model, length of visit, costs for the patient to access Primary Care Center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and logistic and Poisson regression analysis under the intention to treat basis using SPSS v.17.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed intervention is an E-mail based intensive intervention in smokers attending primary care. Positive results could be useful to demonstrate a higher percentage of short and long-term abstinence among smokers attended in PC in Spain who regularly use E-mail. Furthermore, this intervention could be helpful in all health services to help smokers to quit.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinical Trials.gov Identifier: NCT01494246.
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Atenció Primària-CAP La Sagrera, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Díaz-Gete
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puigdomènech
authors.forename: Elena Mercedes
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Briones
authors.forename: Mireia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fàbregas-Escurriola
authors.forename: Soraya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Del Val
authors.forename: Jose Luis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Ballvé
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Casajuana
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Fondevila
authors.forename: Lourdes
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Clemente
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castaño
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martín-Cantera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D035061:Control Groups; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D034742:Electronic Mail; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000379:methods; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention