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. 2012 Sep;36(9):1653-8.
doi: 10.1111/j.1530-0277.2012.01767.x. Epub 2012 Jun 15.

Tobacco quitlines need to assess and intervene with callers' hazardous drinking

Benjamin A Toll  1 , K Michael Cummings, Stephanie S O'Malley, Shannon Carlin-Menter, Sherry A McKee, Andrew Hyland, Ran Wu, Jessica Hopkins, Paula Celestino
Affiliations

Tobacco quitlines need to assess and intervene with callers' hazardous drinking

Benjamin A Toll et al. Alcohol Clin Exp Res. 2012 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Based on published data showing that daily smokers have high rates of hazardous drinking and higher rates of smoking relapse, we hypothesized that New York State Smokers' Quitline (NYSSQL) callers would exhibit elevated rates of risky drinking and risky drinking callers would report lower rates of smoking cessation.

Methods: We assessed rates of hazardous drinking among 88,479 callers to the NYSSQL using modified NIAAA guidelines. Using 2 routine NYSSQL short-term follow-up interviews (n = 14,123 and n = 24,579) and a 3-month follow-up interview (n = 2,833), we also compared smoking cessation rates for callers who met criteria for hazardous drinking compared to moderate drinkers and nondrinkers.

Results: At baseline, 56% of callers reported drinking, and 23% reported hazardous drinking using modified NIAAA guidelines. Hazardous drinkers did not differ on measures of smoking cessation outcomes compared to nondrinkers but did have lower smoking cessation rates compared to persons who reported moderate alcohol consumption for the enhanced services program 1-week follow-up (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 1.09 [1.01, 1.17], p = 0.04) and the standard 2-week follow-up (adjusted OR [95% CI] = 1.17 [1.07, 1.29], p = 0.001).

Conclusions: Nearly a quarter of smokers calling the NYSSQL reported a hazardous drinking pattern, which was associated with lower cessation outcomes compared to those who reported a moderate drinking profile. Given the large number of high-risk drinkers who can be identified through a quitline, tobacco quitlines may provide a venue for providing brief alcohol interventions to these high-risk drinkers. Future studies should evaluate whether a brief alcohol intervention would result in improved smoking cessation rates for hazardous drinking smokers.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
New York State Smokers’ Quitline Callers Assessed by Interviews from May 13, 2008 through October 15, 2009.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Rates of Any and Hazardous Drinking for New York State Smokers’ Quitline Callers (N = 88,479).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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