Effect of Tobacco Cessation Counseling in an Eye Care Practice.

Background: Medicare uses a combination of incentives and penalties to encourage health care practices to screen for tobacco use and counsel on cessation. The few studies published on success rates report cessation rates from zero to 15% in hospitals and primary care offices. This study examines the effect of screening for and counseling about tobacco use and cessation on patients of an eye care practice. Methods: Study design: retrospective cohort records review. Criteria for inclusion were: established patient with a documented history of tobacco use at previous office visit(s), received cessation counseling, and age 25 or older. Sample size: given an 18% prevalence of tobacco use in the target population, a minimal sample size of 1418 was calculated in order to detect a 1% change in tobacco use status. Consecutive records from a large multisite eye care practice were reviewed for all visits April 21-May 5, 2016. A total of 1834 established patient records were reviewed, and 193 met the inclusion criteria. Results: Twenty-eight (14.4%) of 193 patients who reported tobacco use at a previous exam and who received counseling on tobacco cessation reported no longer using tobacco at the survey visit. The demographic variables of age, gender, and health insurance carrier did not differ between former users and continuing users. Conclusions: Screening and counseling tobacco cessation in an eye care office is associated with clinically significant decreases in tobacco use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]