Internet and telephone interventions for smoking cessation

January 01, 0001

Internet and telephone interventions for smoking cessation

This study by US authors aimed to determine the relative effect of Internet and Internet plus telephone treatment for smoking cessation on smoking abstinence among US adults. A priori hypotheses were that Internet enhanced with tailored content and social support would outperform basic Internet (BI) and that enhanced Internet (EI) plus proactive telephone counseling would outperform the other conditions. The Quit Using Internet and Telephone Treatment (iQUITT) study used a 3-group randomized controlled design comparing BI, EI, and EI and telephone combined (EI+P). The trial was conducted from March 2005, through November 2008. Current adult smokers in the United States who smoked 5 or more cigarettes per day were recruited via search engines. Characteristics of the 2005 participants include mean age of 35.9 years, 51.1% women, and 86.5% white. The follow-up assessment rate at 18 months was 68.2%.

They found: "At 18 months, the 30-day multiple point prevalence abstinence rate across all follow-up intervals was 3.5% (BI), 4.5% (EI), and 7.7% (EI+P), with EI+P significantly outperforming BI and EI. At 18 months, 30- day single point prevalence abstinence rates were 19.0% (BI), 17.4% (EI), and 19.6% (EI+P) and did not differ among the groups."

The authors concluded: "Combined Internet and telephone treatment outperforms static and dynamic Internet interventions."

Not a panacea, but these approaches are likely to be cost- effective.


For the full abstract, click here.

Arch Intern Med 171(1):46-53, 10 January 2011
© 2011 to the American Medical Association
A Randomized Trial of Internet and Telephone Treatment for Smoking Cessation. Amanda L. Graham, Nathan K. Cobb, George D. Papandonatos, et al. Correspondence to: Dr. Graham: [email protected]

Category: Z. Social Problems. Keywords: smoking cessation, internet, telephone, randomized controlled trial, journal watch.
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 25 January 2011

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