Impact of compliance on quit rates in a smoking cessation intervention: population study in Denmark

Abstract

tensive programs on smoking cessation are the ones considered most relevant for hospitalised patients (6). The program is delivered as a group or individual intervention by trained counsellors to patients who are referred by their doctors, other health professionals, or enter on their own initiative. The program is delivered at diverse settings including hospitals, municipality clinics, general practices, pharmacies, and companies. It consists of five manual-based face-to-face sessions along with supportive medications over six weeks. As a general principle, a patient is often considered as having completed a treatment program, if patient compliance/ adherence to the program is at least 75%.

Real world evaluation of the smoking cessation services in the Rio de Janeiro municipality, Brazil

“…A population study performed in Denmark including 17 439 patients showed that after 6 months, the smoking cessation rate was 32%. In the study, more than 90% of the patients received 5 face‐to‐face sessions and supportive medications over 6 weeks, and the cessation rate increased with the number of sessions attended . In the study performed at Campinas State University (São Paulo, Brazil), the smoking cessation rate was 66% among those who completed the 4 weeks of motivational group activity, a figure similar to the one observed in some services analysed in this study.…”

“…Further, there was no validation of the dropout rates using biochemical markers of exposure to tobacco. However, the difference between the self‐reported dropout and the confirmed dropout by biological markers has been considered minor by other authors . Another limitation is that the patients were not followed after the end of the treatment, and the measure of treatment success was only made at the fourth group session, which could have inflated the dropout rate, since there could have been relapses during the weeks following treatment completion.…”

The Danish Smoking Cessation Database

“…In accordance with the guidelines, smokers who attend at least 75% of the scheduled meetings are considered compliant (12).…”

“…Furthermore, highly effective elements from short interventions to modify alcohol habits are used in the conversation. Smokers who attend at least 75% of the scheduled meetings are considered compliant (12).…”

“…There is no recommended quit date, but the smokers should be willing to attempt to quit some time during the intervention (13). Based on the guidelines smokers attending 4 meetings are considered compliant to the Come & Quit intervention (12).…”