Effectiveness of personalized written feedback through a mail intervention for smoking cessation: a randomized-controlled trial in Spanish smokers

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of written feedback adapted to a self-help mail intervention. The efficacy of the standard mail intervention treatment was 37% at the end of treatment, 22% at the 3-month follow-up, 19% at the 6-month follow-up, and 13% at the 12-month follow-up. In contrast, the standard mail program combined with personalized written feedback resulted in an efficacy of 51% at the end of treatment, 37% at the 3-month follow-up, 32% at the 6-month follow-up, and 27% at the 12-month follow-up. Both groups were significantly different from the control group at the end of treatment (0%), at the 3-month follow-up (1%), and at the 6-month follow-up (1%). There was a significant reduction in the number of cigarettes smoked daily among continuing smokers under both experimental conditions. The authors conclude that written feedback substantially increases abstinence rates when it is applied following similar guidelines to those used in clinical settings.