Does offering more support calls to smokers influence quit success?
Shannon Carlin-Menter1, K Michael Cummings, Paula Celestino
1New York State Smokers' Quitline, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA.
Journal of Public Health Management and Practice : JPHMP
|April 6, 2011
Summary
Offering two counseling callbacks is as effective and cost-efficient as four callbacks for smokers in a quit line program. This finding helps optimize resource allocation for smoking cessation interventions.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Behavioral Science
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Previous research indicates additional callback counseling increases smoking cessation rates.
- The most cost-efficient protocol for delivering this support remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare the efficacy of 2 versus 4 counseling callbacks for adult smokers contacting the New York State Smokers' Quit Line (NYSSQL).
- To evaluate 7- and 30-day nonsmoker prevalence rates and cost per quit at 3-month follow-up.
Main Methods:
- A randomized trial involving 1923 Medicaid/uninsured adult smokers calling the NYSSQL.
- Participants were randomized to receive either 2 or 4 counseling callbacks.
- Smoking status was assessed at 3-month follow-up.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in completed callbacks between the 2- and 4-callback groups.
- Identical 7- and 30-day nonsmoker prevalence rates and nicotine replacement therapy use.
- Cost per quit was comparable: $442 for 2 callbacks vs. $445 for 4 callbacks.
Conclusions:
- Offering up to 4 counseling callbacks provides no advantage over 2 callbacks in terms of quit success.
- The number of callbacks does not impact cost-effectiveness for smoking cessation interventions.
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