Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2009 Apr;11(4):427-32.
doi: 10.1093/ntr/ntp029. Epub 2009 Apr 8.

Feasibility of a telephone-based intervention for support persons to help smokers quit: a pilot study

Christi A Patten  1 , Larra R Petersen, Christine A Hughes, Jon O Ebbert, Sarah Morgenthaler Bonnema, Tabetha A Brockman, Paul A Decker, Kari J Anderson, Kenneth P Offord, Jeannie Boness, Karin Pyan, Carmen Beddow
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Feasibility of a telephone-based intervention for support persons to help smokers quit: a pilot study

Christi A Patten et al. Nicotine Tob Res. 2009 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Nonsmokers have a potentially supportive role in tobacco cessation efforts. The present study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of a telephone-based intervention for nonsmoking support persons.

Methods: A total of 59 support persons (mean age = 36 years, 92% female, 95% White) were randomly assigned to a control condition (N = 30; written materials only) or to a social cognitive theory-based intervention (N = 29; written materials and 5 weekly, 20- to 30-min telephone counseling sessions). Both support persons and smokers completed assessments separately by mail at baseline and at weeks 6 (end of treatment) and 26.

Results: Two thirds of the smokers reported low-moderate levels of motivation to quit at baseline as assessed by the contemplation ladder. Study retention rates were excellent, with 95% of both support persons and smokers completing the week 26 assessment. Moreover, 86% of support persons in the intervention group completed all five telephone sessions. Treatment acceptability was high for both support persons and smokers. Compared with the control condition, the intervention was associated with a significant increase in support person self-efficacy to help their smoker (p = .034) and outcome expectancies (p = .025) from baseline to week 6. However, the intervention was not associated with higher smoking abstinence rates or quit attempts.

Discussion: The program was successful in reaching smokers with lower levels of readiness to quit. The intervention was feasible and acceptable to both support persons and smokers. Although support persons and smokers can be engaged in this type of outreach program, refinements in the intervention approach are needed to improve the smoking outcomes.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Biener L, Abrams DB. The contemplation ladder: Validation of a measure of readiness to consider smoking cessation. Health Psychology. 1991;10:360–365. - PubMed
    1. Campbell J, Mays MZ, Yuan NP, Muramoto ML. Who are health influencers? Characterizing a sample of tobacco cessation interveners. American Journal of Health Behavior. 2007;31:181–192. - PubMed
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cigarette smoking among adults: United States, 2000. MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2002;51:642–645. - PubMed
    1. Christakis NA, Fowler JH. The collective dynamics of smoking in a large social network. New England Journal of Medicine. 2008;358:2284–2286. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Fiore MC, Jaén CR, Baker TB, Bailey WC, Benowitz NL, Curry SJ, et al. Treating tobacco use and dependence. Clinical practice guideline: 2008 update. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service; 2008.

Publication types