BackgroundTobacco smoking leads to death or disability and a drain on national resources. The literature suggests that cigarette smoking continues to be a major modifiable risk factor for a variety of diseases and that smokers aged 18-30 years are relatively resistant to antismoking messages due to their widely held belief that they will not be lifelong smokers.ObjectiveTo conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a computer-generated photoaging intervention to promote smoking cessation among young adult smokers within a community pharmacy setting.MethodsA trial was designed with 80% power based on the effect size observed in a published pilot study; 160 subjects were recruited (80 allocated to the control group and 80 to the intervention group) from 8 metropolitan community pharmacies located around Perth city center in Western Australia. All participants received standardized smoking cessation advice. The intervention group participants were also digitally photoaged by using the Internet-based APRIL Face Aging software so they could preview images of themselves as a lifelong smoker and as a nonsmoker. Due to the nature of the intervention, the participants and researcher could not be blinded to the study. The main outcome measure was quit attempts at 6-month follow-up, both self-reported and biochemically validated through testing for carbon monoxide (CO), and nicotine dependence assessed via the Fagerström scale.ResultsAt 6-month follow-up, 5 of 80 control group participants (6.3%) suggested they had quit smoking, but only 1 of 80 control group participants (1.3%) consented to, and was confirmed by, CO validation. In the intervention group, 22 of 80 participants (27.5%) reported quitting, with 11 of 80 participants (13.8%) confirmed by CO testing. This difference in biochemically confirmed quit attempts was statistically significant (χ2 1=9.0, P=.003). A repeated measures analysis suggested the average intervention group smoking dependence score had also significantly dropped compared to control participants (P<.001). These differences remained statistically significant after adjustment for small differences in gender distribution and nicotine dependence between the groups. The mean cost of implementing the intervention was estimated at AU $5.79 per participant. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was AU $46 per additional quitter. The mean cost that participants indicated they were willing to pay for the digital aging service was AU $20.25 (SD 15.32).ConclusionsDemonstrating the detrimental effects on facial physical appearance by using a computer-generated simulation may be both effective and cost-effective at persuading young adult smokers to quit.Trial RegistrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12609000885291; https://www.anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12609000885291 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6F2kMt3kC)

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Objectives: To examine the characteristics of adult patient attendances to emergency departments (EDs) in Perth hospitals by patients’ frequency of attendance. Design, setting and participants: A linked‐data population study of adults (aged ≥ 15 years) attending all nine Perth hospital EDs between 1 July 2000 and 31 December 2006. Main outcome measures: Proportion of frequent attenders (FAs; those attending five or more times annually); and demographic characteristics, mode of arrival at the ED, disposition (admission, transfer, discharge or death), urgency and clinical conditions by frequency of attendance. Results: There was a mean of 1.5 attendances per individual per year, resulting in 1 583 924 attendances by 663 309 individuals over the 6.5 years of the study. Most patients (97.6%) attended Perth EDs fewer than five times a year. The more frequently patients attended, the more likely they were to be male, middle‐aged and late‐middle‐aged, have self‐referred, have mental and behavioural disorders and alcohol intoxication, to not wait to be assessed, and to arrive by ambulance. The groups of patients attending between 5–9 and 10–19 times per year (97.4% of FAs) had more urgent conditions, more circulatory system disease and higher admission rates than all other patients. Conclusion: Most FAs at Perth EDs present fewer than 20 times a year and have more serious and urgent illness than other patients, more often requiring inpatient services. A very small minority of patients (around 100 patients/year) attends 20 or more times a year, many with mental and behavioural disorders and alcohol intoxication not requiring hospital admission.

Objective To investigate how patients and professionals view the role of advice in diabetes foot care, in order to inform educational practice.Design A qualitative study based upon one-to-one interviews using a vignette technique with patients and professionals.Setting and participants Interviews with 15 patients with diabetesrelated foot complications attending diabetes foot clinics, and 15 health professionals across two hospital sites and two primary care trusts.Results There were similarities between issues raised by patients and professionals, with differences in emphasis. An important factor was patient understanding and acceptance of the implications of diabetes from diagnosis. Many patients reported a lack of early understanding that may reflect inadequate provision or acceptance of advice. Development of positive relationships with health professionals was important for patients and encouraged shared understanding. Use of the vignette technique highlighted the gap between patient knowledge and action, with patients and professionals emphasizing their own responsibilities in relation to reduction of risk through education and action. Responses suggest that early positive interactions with appropriately trained professionals are needed to help patients assimilate advice into everyday routines.Conclusions For effective preventive care, patients need to understand how diabetes impacts on their health. Foot care education should begin early, be patient-centred and delivered with empathy by professionals whom the patients trust. The findings reflect patient and professional expectations in educational practice, and therefore have relevance for other chronic conditions for which much education and advice is related to self-care.