Department of Health relapse prevention in smoking cessation pilot
| Author(s)
Dr Hayden McRobbie and Sarah Snuggs
| | Presenter(s) |
Sarah Snuggs Research Health Psychologist, Tobacco Dependence Research and Treatment Unit, London | Abstract Background: Although over 300,000 people stop smoking with NHS Stop Smoking Services (NHS-SSS) every year, around 70% of these short-term quitters return to smoking within twelve months. Smokers from the routine and manual population are more likely to relapse than those from professional groups. As the health benefits of stopping smoking are only realised with long term abstinence, relapse reduces the public health benefit of investment in smoking cessation interventions and remains the main unresolved issue of the smoking cessation efforts.
Objectives: To pilot an SMS text-based relapse prevention service with 200 CO validated 4-week quitters who have used NHS-SSS to stop smoking.
Methods: Text messages were developed and tested with a small group of service users. People who achieved 4-week validated abstinence with the help from local NHS-SSS were then sent regular messages, weekly for 12 weeks and then fortnightly up until 6-months post-quit date. Message contents focus on extended support and encouragement of continued medication use. They are interactive, participants are given the opportunity to text back. Smoking status is assessed on a regular basis, and participants that report smoking are called immediately to advise on the best course of action. The pilot is evaluating uptake and acceptability of the intervention rather than its efficacy, but six month CO-validated abstinence rates will be collected and compared with typical service figures.
Results so far: At the beginning of March 2011, 95 service users have been enrolled. There were seven early relapsers who have been supported in attempting to re-establish abstinence. Contacting clients who attended pharmacy services have proved difficult, but uptake of the intervention among smokers who were contacted was generally good. People from professional and managerial occupations were more likely to use the service than those from routine and manual occupations. Informal feedback has suggested that the messages are perceived as useful, and that personalised messages are more popular than generic ones.
Conclusion: This pilot project will help determine the feasibility and acceptability of integrating a text-based service to provide ongoing support to people who achieve short-term abstinence with help from the NHS-SSS, and provide information on whether a randomised trial of such intervention is warranted.
| Source of funding: This is one of six inequalities in health pilots run under the auspices of the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies, funded by the Department of Health.
| Declaration of interest: None
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