A Study Evaluating the Effect of Telephone Counselling on Smoking Performed by a Nurse Cessation: A Preliminary, Randomized, Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Smoking is well known as an important preventable risk factor contributing to mortality and morbidity. Telephone counseling might be one of adjunctive interventions for smoking cessation. We evaluated whether telephone counseling performed by a nurse could improve smoking cessation rate. METHODS: Study subjects were 152 male smokers who visited family practice in one tertiary hospital between November 2001 and January 2002 and agreed to participate in this study. After completing a self- administered questionnaire, the subjects received self-help materials and were randomly assigned into either an intervention or control group. A well-trained nurse provided telephone counseling only to experimental group at 8th and 17th week of follow-up. The 25-week smoking cessation rates were checked in both groups by telephone call. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in socio- demographic and smoking-related characteristics between intervention, control, and non-participants groups. Intention-to-treat smoking cessation rate at 25th-week of follow- up was 21.1% in control, 25.0% in intervention group and was not statistically different from each other. Smoking cessation rate according to the baseline stage of change toward quit smoking was not statistically different from each other. CONCLUSION: The telephone counseling performed by a nurse was not significantly effective for improving smoking cessation rate in this study.