Objective:
The purpose of this study was to quantify quit rates, determine
factors predicting success, and analyze patients' perceptions
at 3 months after participation in the pharmacist-managed Smoking
Cessation Group Clinic.
Methods: This was a prospective, single group study that was conducted
in patients that had participated in the Smoking Cessation Group
Clinic at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. Clinic
participants received structured group counseling covering various
topics associated with cessation. Varenicline, bupropion and nicotine
replacement therapy were used as smoking cessation aids and selection
was based on patient preference and absence of contraindications.
The primary outcome of this trial was smoking status at 3 months.
The patients were contacted by telephone at 3, and 6 months after
the start of the clinic and asked about current smoking status.
At 3 months, patients were asked to rate on a Likert scale of
1 to 5 (1=not helpful; 5=very helpful) their perceptions of individual
aspects of the clinic and on a scale of 1 to 10 (1=not helpful;
10=very helpful) how they perceived their cessation aid.
Results: From February 2007 to January 2008, 21 patients enrolled
in the intent-to-treat follow up study. Analysis of data was completed
in August 2008. At 3 and 6 months, 47.6% and 52.4%, of patients
reported being smoke-free, respectively. At 3 months, factors
consistent with success included having more previous quit attempts
and type of cessation aid used. These endpoints continued to be
significant at 6 months, in addition to attending more clinic
sessions, and type of insurance (favoring private insurance).
Patients who quit smoking rated their cessation aid as more helpful
than those who did not quit smoking (8.56; SD=0.88 verses 6.71;
SD=2.81, respectively; p=0.14). The aspect of the clinic most
helpful to patients was group interaction (4.53; SD=0.77).
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that pharmacists can play
a vital role with smoking cessation in a group setting. Group
setting patient counseling can be an effective tool for pharmacists
to reach more people within the same time frame as individual
counseling.
