A Mechanistic Test of Treatment Strategies to Foster Practice Quitting
Rush University Medical Center
Summary
Tobacco use disorder is a chronic, relapsing health condition that necessitates a chronic care approach. However, traditional smoking cessation treatment programs allocate nearly all their resources only to those smokers who are willing to set a quit date. This is problematic because few smokers are ready to set a quit date at any given time, and a smoker's stated intention to quit can change rapidly. One novel potential treatment strategy is to foster practice quitting (PQ), defined as attempting to not smoke for a few hours or days, without pressure or expectation to permanently quit. Although a growing body of evidence supports the role of practice quitting in fostering permanent quit attempts and cessation, there is a significant knowledge gap regarding which treatment strategies should be used to engage smokers in practice quitting. The proposed study will test the role of PQ counseling vs. Motivational Interviewing (MI) counseling, and NRT sampling (four-week supply of nicotine lozenges and patches) vs. none.
Description
Tobacco use disorder is a chronic, relapsing health condition that necessitates a chronic care approach. However, traditional smoking cessation treatment programs allocate nearly all their resources only to those smokers who are willing to set a quit date. This is problematic because few smokers are ready to set a quit date at any given time, and a smoker's stated intention to quit can change rapidly. One novel potential treatment strategy is to foster practice quitting (PQ), defined as attempting to not smoke for a few hours or days, without pressure or expectation to permanently quit. Pract…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: Eligible participants will be males and females who: 1. are 18 years or older 2. report current daily cigarette smoking (≥ 5 cigarettes per day) 3. are not planning to quit in the next 30 days 4. are not currently engaged in smoking cessation treatment 5. are motivated to quit or engage in a non-cessation goal (i.e., reduce smoking, learn more about treatment options, and/ or try out skills to change smoking) in the next 6 months 6. are English speaking 7. reside in the continental United States 8. have access to a smartphone that can be used to complete study procedures…
Interventions
- DrugNicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) Sampling
Participants randomized to this condition will receive a 4-week nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) starter kit containing both nicotine lozenges and patches in their original packaging.
- BehavioralPractice Quitting (PQ) Counseling
Practice Quitting (PQ) counseling will consist of four weekly treatment sessions, with an initial 45-minute session followed by three 20-minute sessions. The goals of the counseling sessions are 1) to gradually expose patients to nicotine withdrawal symptoms through practice quitting, and 2) to reduce fear and avoidance of the physical sensations associated with nicotine withdrawal.
- BehavioralMotivational Interviewing (MI) Counseling
Motivational Interviewing (MI) counseling will consist of four weekly treatment sessions, with an initial 45-minute session followed by three 20-minute sessions. Counseling content will incorporate MI-consistent principles, such as open questions, simple and complex reflections, and affirmations to facilitate participant statements in favor of behavior change. Discussion will focus on the motivational topics outlined in the USPHS guidelines for smokers not ready to quit: 1) relevance of smoking cessation or reduction to the individual, 2) risks of continued heavy smoking, 3) rewards of quitting and reduction, and 4) roadblocks to success, on a 5) repeated basis.
Location
- Rush University Medical CenterChicago, Illinois