Telephone counseling for smoking cessation: rationales and meta-analytic review of evidence

We review the various ways in which telephone counseling has been used in smoking cessation programs. Reactive approaches—help lines or crisis lines—attract only a small percentage of eligible smokers but are sensitive to promotional campaigns. While difficult to evaluate, they appear to be efficaci...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health education research 1996-06, Vol.11 (2), p.243-257
Main Authors: Lichtenstein, E., Glasgow, R.E., Lando, H.A., Ossip-Klein, D.J., Boles, S.M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cessation
Counselling
Health technology assessment
Hotlines
Humans
Logistic Models
Meta-analysis
Odds Ratio
ORIGINAL ARTICLES
Program Evaluation
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Smoking
Smoking Cessation - methods
Studies
Telephone services
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Summary:We review the various ways in which telephone counseling has been used in smoking cessation programs. Reactive approaches—help lines or crisis lines—attract only a small percentage of eligible smokers but are sensitive to promotional campaigns. While difficult to evaluate, they appear to be efficacious and useful as a public intervention for large populations. Proactive phone counseling has been used in a variety of ways. In 13 randomized trials, most showed significant short-term (3–6 month) effects, and four found substantial long-term differences between intervention and control conditions. A meta-analysis of proactive studies using a best-evidence synthesis confirmed a significant increase in cessation rates compared with control conditions [pooled odds ratios of 1·34 (1·19–1·51) and 1·20 (1·06–1·37) at short- and long-term follow-up, respectively]. Proactive phone counseling appeared most effective when used as the sole intervention modality or when augmenting programs initiated in hospital settings. Suggestions for further research and utilization are offered.
ISSN:0268-1153
1465-3648
DOI:10.1093/her/11.2.243