Assessing the Effect of an Inpatient Smoking Cessation Brief Intervention Tool on Long-Term Smoking Cessation Rates and Patient Interest for Nicotine Replacement Therapy: A Retrospective Analysis

Introduction: Smoking cessation among hospital inpatients is essential to reduce risk of surgical complications and all-cause mortality. In the Australian state of Queensland, the Smoking Cessation Clinical Pathway (SCCP), a brief intervention tool, has been used by clinical staff in public hospitals to uniformly support patients to quit smoking since 2015. This study aims to assess the effect of the SCCP on long-term smoking cessation rates recorded in subsequent readmissions, and whether the SCCP as an intervention affects inpatients’ interest in nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) during admission and after discharge. Methods: We retrospectively analysed data provided by the Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) on patients who self-identified as a current smoker on admission to any ward and were admitted to the PAH between 1st January 2018 and 31st December 2019. Smoking cessation rates and patient interest in NRT by SCCP completion were analysed using χ2 tests and a multinomial logistic regression. Results: Of 1,902 included patients, NRT was offered to 1,397 patients (73.4%) and accepted by 332 patients (17.5%). Patients who had completed a SCCP were more likely to be offered NRT than those who had not (p < 0.0001). Of the 452 patients with multiple readmissions, 100 (22%) ceased smoking at any point in the 2-year study period. At the end of the 2-year study period, 75 (75%) patients remained abstinent and only 25 (25%) relapsed to smoking as per their final smoking status at the end of the 2-year study period. Patients with a completed SCCP were 1.8 times (RRR: 1.825, p = 0.030) more likely to quit smoking at any point in the 2-year study period, and twice as likely to have quit at the end of the 2-year study period (RRR: 2.064, p = 0.044). Discussion: The SCCP may be effective at increasing smoking cessation rates among hospital inpatients. Future policies promoting long-term smoking cessation should consider implementation of post-discharge follow-up appointments.