Tobacco treatment outcomes from a specialist smoking cessation clinic based within cardiology services
| Author(s)
Milan Khara and Chizimuzo Okoli
| | Presenter(s) |
Dr Milan Khara Clinical Director, Smoking Cessation Clinic, Vancouver General Hospital, Canada |
Dr Chizimuzo Okoli Assistant Professor and Director of the Tobacco Treatment and Prevention Division, Tobacco Policy Research Program, University of Kentucky College of Nursing, USA | Abstract BACKGROUND: Populations with cardiac conditions often continue to smoke at high rates (up to 62%), even after experiencing life-threatening cardiac events. The purpose of our study is to examine pilot treatment outcomes of an outpatient Smoking Cessation Clinic (SCC) provided within Cardiology Services.
METHODS: This study is based on a retrospective review of the charts of 118 participants of the SCC (between Sept 2010 and May 2012). The primary components of intervention include tailored pharmacotherapy and behavioural counselling. The main outcome of interest is self-reported 7-day point-prevalence of smoking abstinence verified by expired CO level (when available).
RESULTS: 34.7% of participants achieved smoking cessation, whereas 41.7% of those who did not achieve cessation were able to reduce their cigarette use to 50% (or less) of their baseline consumption. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, salient predictors of smoking cessation included being male, in the “preparation” or “action” phase (of the stages of change continuum), and having a greater number of visits to the program.
CONCLUSIONS: The modest outcomes from this pilot study support the need for smoking cessation treatment provision in hospital Cardiology settings. Such interventions reduce the disproportionate burden of tobacco use and related disease among populations with medical co-morbidity.
| Presenter biography Milan Khara is the Clinical Director of the Smoking Cessation Clinic at Vancouver General Hospital. The clinic offers tailored treatment to smokers who have other medical co-morbidities. Dr. Khara has extensive experience in addiction medicine and education of health care professionals. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia.
Chizimuzo Okoli, PhD, MPH, RN is an Assistant Professor and Director of the Tobacco Treatment and Prevention Division of the Tobacco Policy Research Program at the University of Kentucky College of Nursing.
| Source of funding: N/A
| Declaration of interest: Dr. Milan Khara has received unrestricted research funding, speaker‟s honoraria, consultation fees or product from the following organisations/companies in the previous 3 years: Health Canada, Interior Health Authority, Pfizer, TEACH, QuitNow Services, Ottawa Heart Institute, Johnson and Johnson, Provincial Health Services Authority, College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia
Dr. Chizimuzo Okoli has received unrestricted research funding and consultation fees from the following organisations/companies in the previous 3 years: Health Canada, Vancouver Coastal Health Authority, Pfizer, Canadian Institute of Health Research
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