Effect of general practitioners' advice against smoking

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• General Practice
• Smoking Cessation

Background:

• Smoking remains a significant public health issue, necessitating effective interventions within primary care settings.
• General practitioners (GPs) are well-positioned to advise and support patients in smoking cessation efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of different levels of general practitioner (GP) intervention on smoking cessation.
• To determine the impact of advice, leaflets, and follow-up warnings on long-term smoking cessation rates.

Main Methods:

• A four-week randomized controlled trial involving 2138 cigarette smokers across 28 general practices in London.
• Four intervention groups: no intervention, questionnaire only, GP advice only, and GP advice with leaflet and follow-up warning.
• Follow-up at one month and one year to assess smoking status, motivation, and intention to quit.

Main Results:

• Interventions significantly increased the proportion of smokers attempting to quit, with advice being the primary motivator.
• The group receiving advice, a leaflet, and a follow-up warning showed the highest sustained cessation rates (5.1% at one year).
• While advice increased quit attempts, the leaflet and warning primarily reduced relapse rates in the longer term.

Conclusions:

• Integrating simple smoking cessation advice, support materials, and follow-up into routine general practice is highly effective.
• This approach can yield substantial numbers of long-term ex-smokers, potentially exceeding half a million annually in the UK.
• GP-led interventions offer a scalable and cost-effective strategy for smoking cessation compared to specialized clinics.