title: Assessing the effectiveness of a pharmacist-delivered smoking cessation program in the State of Qatar: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It had been reported that up to 37% of the adult male population smokes cigarettes in Qatar. The Global Youth Tobacco Survey also stated that 13.4% of male school students aged 13 to 15 years in Qatar smoke cigarettes. Smoking cessation is key to reducing smoking-related diseases and deaths. Healthcare providers are in an ideal position to encourage smoking cessation. Pharmacists are the most accessible healthcare providers and are uniquely situated to initiate behavior change among patients. Many studies have shown that pharmacists can be successful in helping patients quit smoking. Studies demonstrating the effectiveness of pharmacist-delivered smoking cessation programs are lacking in Qatar. This proposal aims to test the effect of a structured smoking cessation program delivered by trained ambulatory pharmacists in Qatar.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective, randomized, controlled trial is conducted at eight ambulatory pharmacies in Qatar. Participants are randomly assigned to receive an at least four-session face-to-face structured patient-specific smoking cessation program conducted by the pharmacist or 5 to 10 min of unstructured brief smoking cessation advice (emulating current practice) given by the pharmacist. Both groups are offered nicotine replacement therapy if feasible. The primary outcome of smoking cessation will be confirmed by an exhaled carbon monoxide test at 12 months. Secondary outcomes constitute quality-of-life adjustment as well as cost analysis of program resources consumed, including per case and patient outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If proven to be effective, this smoking cessation program will be considered as a model that Qatar and the region can apply to decrease the smoking burden.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Clinical Trials NCT02123329 .
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, POBOX 2713, Qatar. maguyh@qu.edu.qa.
authors.forename: Maguy Saffouh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: El Hajj
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, POBOX 2713, Qatar. nadirk@qu.edu.qa.
authors.forename: Nadir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kheir
authors.affiliation: Smoking Cessation Clinic, Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. ALMULLA@hmc.org.qa.
authors.forename: Ahmad Mohd
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al Mulla
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, POBOX 2713, Qatar. daoud.a@qu.edu.qa.
authors.forename: Daoud
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Al-Badriyeh
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, POBOX 2713, Qatar. akaddour@qu.edu.qa.
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al Kaddour
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Care Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA. zrm2001@qatar-med.cornell.edu.|Department of Global and Public Health, Weill Cornell Medical College, Doha, Qatar. zrm2001@qatar-med.cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Ziyad R
authors.initials: ZR
authors.lastname: Mahfoud
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, POBOX 2713, Qatar. salehi@qu.edu.qa.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Smoking Cessation Clinic, Medicine Department, Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar. NFanous@hmc.org.qa.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fanous
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010595:Pharmacists; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011780:Qatar; D018401:Sample Size; D016540:Smoking Cessation