Personal ‘quit smoking' technique gets results

A team at Royal North Shore Hospital are evaluating a novel way to persuade smokers to give up the habit. Initial results are encouraging – after six months over half the volunteers were still not smoking.

Leading the research is cardiologist Professor Geoffrey Tofler, medical director of the North Shore Heart Research Foundation, together with Robin May, Psychologist from the Drug and Alcohol Department at Royal North Shore Hospital.

Other investigators from Royal North Shore Hospital are Associate Professor Roger Bartop (Psychological Medicine), John Baird and Edward Jozefiak (Medical Illustration) and Paul Heinrich (Pam McLean Centre).

 

Tailored videos

The 13 smokers each watched a 10-minute video that simulated them having a heart attack if they kept smoking. Digital images of the individual, their partner and family emphasised the potential personal and family outcome for each smoker.

A psychologist evaluated responses and used a technique called 'motivational interviewing' to reinforce quitting smoking.

‘In hospital, many smokers are able to stop once they have experienced a heart attack. This is called a "teachable moment". Our aim was to see if this new technique would motivate a smoker to quit while he or she was still healthy,' explained Professor Tofler.

 

Positive results

After one week, average daily cigarette consumption fell from 17.3 to 2.7, and seven of the 13 subjects (54%) gave up smoking. Carbon monoxide levels, an objective measure of smoking, decreased from 15.7 to 3.1 ppm (parts per million).

After six months, the same number (54%) were still not smoking.

Although in its early phase (and the investigators are still recruiting participants), the results are promising. This psychological approach, which is called a "simulated, personalized, teachable moment", could also possibly be used for other behaviours such as drink-driving. A patent application is under review.

The findings were presented at the American Heart Association annual conference in Orlando on 18th November.