Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Program in a Community Health System

Overview

Research efforts are needed to increase tobacco cessation support and to improve tobacco cessation efficacy. In addition, strategies must be identified to increase access to smoking cessation support and to develop processes to integrate smoking cessation into treatment plans for cancer patients.

Full Title of Study: “The Effectiveness of a Structured Smoking Cessation Program Versus Unassisted Smoking Cessation Methods in Cancer Patients Managed in a Community Health System”

Study Type

• Study Type: Observational
• Study Design
  • Time Perspective: Prospective
• Study Primary Completion Date: May 31, 2023

Detailed Description

The Cancer Patient Tobacco Questionnaire (C-TUQ) survey tool will be used to address the primary and secondary outcome measures. This tool is publicly available on the National Cancer Institutes Grid-Enabled Measures website and was developed by NCI and the American Association for Cancer Research. This tool is a 22-item self-report survey designed to capture information about tobacco use by cancer patients and cancer survivors. Comparisons will be made for those patients that enroll in the structured smoking cessation program versus those patients that have opted to quit on their own. Primary: To determine the effectiveness of an intensive structured smoking cessation program (education and support) provided by a tobacco cessation trained specialist versus unassisted smoking cessation quitting methods (no support, patients have opted to stop on their own) in cancer patients seen in a community health care system Secondary: – Self-reported 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up in patients participating in a structured smoking cessation program versus those patients that have quit smoking with professional support – Self-reported 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence at 12-month follow-up in patients participating in a structured smoking cessation program versus those patients that have quit smoking without professional support, participants choosing to stop smoking on their own. – Examine the impact of implementing a system level smoking cessation program into the ongoing management of our cancer patients who smoke.

Interventions

• Behavioral: Smoking cessation
  • Assisted Smoking Cessation- Subject is provided professional support provided by tobacco cessation specialist. Unassisted Smoking Cessation- Subject provided resources and attempts to quit smoking without professional support. The subject selects their preferred intervention.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

• Assisted Smoking Cessation
  • Subject participates in a structured smoking cessation program hosted at Virtua Health which may be either smoking cessation group sessions or individual sessions and/or both. All participants will be provided with a list of smoking cessation resources. Description of Group Smoking Education and Support: These sessions are led by a Tobacco Treatment Specialist and include 2-3 sessions in-person or virtually and cover the following topics: Biological changes caused by nicotine, addiction, tips to quit smoking, health benefits to quitting smoking, types of nicotine replacement therapy, e-cigarettes and devices, aromatherapy, meditation and various resources. In addition, access to nicotine replacement therapies is optional.
• Unassisted Smoking Cessation
  • The subject receives no professional support but is provided with a list of smoking cessation resources, in this cohort the subject engages in smoking cessation with no assistance from a provider.

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

• The Effectiveness of a Structured Smoking Cessation Program versus Unassisted Smoking Cessation Methods in Cancer Patients Managed in a Community Health System
  • Time Frame: 6 and 12 month intervals
  • To determine the effectiveness of an intensive structured smoking cessation program versus unassisted smoking cessation quitting methods in cancer patients seen in a community health care system

Secondary Measures

• The Effectiveness of a Structured Smoking Cessation Program in Cancer Patients in a Community Health System The Effectiveness of a Structured Smoking Cessation Program versus Unassisted Smoking Cessatio
  • Time Frame: 6 and 12 month intervals
  • Self-reported 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence at 6-month follow-up in patients participating in a structured smoking cessation program versus those patients that have quit smoking without professional support. Self-reported 7-day point-prevalence smoking abstinence at 12-month follow-up in patients participating in a structured smoking cessation program versus those patients that have quit smoking without professional support. Examine the impact of implementing a system level smoking cessation program into the ongoing management of our cancer patients who smoke.

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

Any Gender

• Over 18 years of age – Able to read and understand English – Able to sign the informed consent form – A current cigarette smoker defined as smoking within 30 days – Diagnosed with cancer and wants to quit smoking Exclusion Criteria:

• • Individuals with Dementia – ECOG Performance Status 3-4 – Survival prognosis less than 12 months – Currently participating in a smoking cessation program that is not provided by Virtua – Individuals who do not want to quit smoking – Pregnant Women

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 18 Years

Maximum Age: N/A

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: No

Investigator Details

• Lead Sponsor
  • Virtua Health, Inc.
• Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
  • Sponsor
• Overall Official(s)
  • Theresa Carducci, MSN, RN, CCRP, Principal Investigator, Virtua Health