Long-term effects (up to 18 months) of a smoking cessation program among women smokers in public health clinics.

Background: We conducted longitudinal analysis of long-term outcomes of a motivational smoking cessation program. The program consisted of clinic-based minimal interventions delivered to women smokers in public health clinics by clinic personnel, a reminder letter, and an optional brief telephone counseling.

Methods: Subjects seen in six intervention (N=541) and six control clinics (N=527) were interviewed by telephone 2, 6, 12, and 18 months later. At each measurement point, unadjusted percent abstinence and mean action, motivation, and readiness scores by study group were compared with standard bivariate comparisons tests. Hierarchical linear modeling that adjusted for clustering of subjects within clinics and clustering of results over 18 months (four waves) within individuals was used to compare outcomes by study group.

Results: Number of actions toward quitting, motivation, and stage of readiness to quit remained better in the intervention than in the control group up to 18 months. The program effect on abstinence was still significant at 12 months, but not at 18 months.

Conclusions: Exposure to one-time, brief interventions in public health clinics appears sufficient to enhance abstinence up to 12 months, and action toward quitting and motivation and readiness to quit up to 18 months.