Smoking Interventions in the General Population

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The study takes up two problems: 1) Little research exists about general population interventions for smokers not ready to quit within the foreseeable future. 2) There is little evidence for smoking reduction as a behavioural goal in interventions. Interventions based on the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change (TTM) using computer expert-system technology yield delayed and smaller effects in smokers in the precontemplation stage of change compared to smokers in more advanced stages of change. Reducing the number of cigarettes smoked per day is currently discussed as an intermediate goal for this subgroup. Epidemiological and clinical studies revealed that smokers are able to maintain a substantial reduction. No undermining effects with respect to smoking cessation have been found. However, there are no studies that test the efficacy of behavioural interventions for smoking reduction using population based recruitment. Objectives: Testing the efficacy of TTM based interventions for general population smokers not intending to quit smoking, i.e. a smoking-reduction and a smoking-cessation tailored intervention using computerized expert-system technology.

Official Title
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General Population Based Interventions for Smokers Not Ready to Quit: Testing Smoking Reduction vs. Abstinence Oriented Computer Expert Systems

Conditions
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Tobacco Smoking

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: Smoking abstinence oriented expert system intervention
* Behavioral: Smoking reduction oriented expert system intervention


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Daily smoking of 10 or more cigarettes No intention to quit within the next six month Age of 18 years and older valid telephone number Exclusion Criteria: - Insufficient german language and cognitive capabilities to complete the assessment

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: 1<br> | Behavioral: Smoking abstinence oriented expert system intervention<br>* Participants received up to three counselling letters targeting smoking cessation<br>|
| Experimental: 2<br> | Behavioral: Smoking reduction oriented expert system intervention<br>* Participants received up to three counselling letters targeting smoking reduction<br>|
| No Intervention: 3<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Point prevalence of tobacco abstinence |  | 24 hours, 7 days, 4 weeks, 6 months preceeding the 12 and 24 month follow-up assessments | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| number of Cigarettes smoked per day |  | 4 weeks preceeding follow-up assessment | 
| number of quit and cutdown attempts |  | last 12 months preceeding follow-up assessment | 
| Stages of change progress |  | at 12 and 24 months follow-up | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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smoking reduction, smoking cessation, stages of change, expert system interventions