The effects of computer-tailored smoking cessation messages in family practice settings. M.D. Clinical question Should family physicians provide health education information that is personally tailored to address their smoking patients' individual health beliefs and interest in quitting. Background Most family physicians use generic printed health educational materials to help patients stop smoking. Because many of these materials are designed to be applicable to all smokers, they often contain irrelevant material.
Computer technologies are now available that allow tailoring of health education information.
The time and expense required to install these systems, however, is substantial, and it is unclear whether patient outcomes justify the effort. Population studied This report describes two randomized trials. The average age was 49.5 years and the average number of cigarettes smoked daily was 17.4. The average age was 36.7 years, and the average number of cigarettes smoked per day was 17.7. Although more information about literacy and communities would have been useful, the subjects seem similar to our usual patients.