Smoking cessation among hospitalized patients: A quasi-experimental study in Quebec

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to valuate the impact of a smoking cessation intervention for hospitalized patients, implemented by regular staff and incorporated into their routine care of patients. Methods: The intervention was conducted in one experimental hospital and in two control hospitals. Results: One year after discharge, 15% of smokers became non-smokers in the experimental hospital versus 8% in the control hospitals. This difference is not statistically significant (p = 0.08), however a small sample in the control hospitals had an influence on the statistical power. A logistic regression highlights program participation as the only variable predictive of a non-smoker status one year after discharge, considering both types of hospitals (experimental and control). Conclusion: Establishing relevancy of smoking cessation intervention for hospitalized patients is probably no longer needed. But research should be carried on towards finding: better ways to convince the staff to intervene, towards establishing relevancy for specialized staff and defining intensity of required interventions before and after hospitalization.