1. Does improved access and greater choice of nicotine replacement therapy affect smoking cessation success? Findings from a randomized controlled trial.
- Author
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Walker, Natalie, Howe, Colin, Bullen, Chris, Grigg, Michele, Glover, Marewa, McRobbie, Hayden, Laugesen, Murray, Jiang, Joy, Chen, Mei‐Hua, Whittaker, Robyn, and Rodgers, Anthony
- Subjects
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SMOKING prevention , *ANALYSIS of covariance , *ANALYSIS of variance , *CHI-squared test , *COMPUTER software , *CONFIDENCE intervals , *HEALTH services accessibility , *LONGITUDINAL method , *HEALTH outcome assessment , *QUALITY assurance , *RESEARCH funding , *STATISTICAL sampling , *SMOKING cessation , *STATISTICS , *SURVIVAL analysis (Biometry) , *LOGISTIC regression analysis , *SAMPLE size (Statistics) , *DATA analysis , *MULTIPLE regression analysis , *NICOTINE replacement therapy , *RANDOMIZED controlled trials , *RELATIVE medical risk , *TREATMENT effectiveness , *BLIND experiment - Abstract
To determine the effect of offering smokers who want to quit easy access to nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), a period of familiarization and choice of product on smoking abstinence at 6 months. Single-blind, randomized controlled trial. New Zealand. A total of 1410 adult smokers who called the national Quitline for quitting support were randomized to usual Quitline care or a box containing different NRT products (patch, gum, inhaler, sublingual tablet, oral pouch) to try for a week prior to quitting, and then to choose one or two of these products for 8 weeks' use. The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence smoking abstinence 6 months after quit day. Secondary outcomes included continuous abstinence, cigarette consumption, withdrawal, NRT choice and serious adverse events at 1 and 3 weeks and 3 and 6 months. No differences in 6-month quit rates (7-day point prevalence or continuous abstinence) were observed between the groups. However, smokers allocated to the intervention group were more likely to have quit smoking at 3 months [self-reported point prevalence, relative risk (RR) = 1.17, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02, 1.35, P = 0.03], had a longer time to relapse (median 70 days versus 28 days, P < 0.01) and used significantly more NRT. The selection box concept was highly acceptable to users, with the patch and inhaler combination the most popular choice (34%). In terms of smoking abstinence at 6 months, offering smokers who want to quit free access to a wide range of nicotine replacement therapy, including a 1-week period of familiarization and choice of up to two products, appears no different to offering reduced cost and choice of nicotine replacement therapy, with no familiarization period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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