A randomized clinical trial of a financial education intervention with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for low socio‐economic status Australian smokers: a study protocol. (18th July 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Courtney, Ryan J.; Bradford, Deborah; Martire, Kristy A.; Bonevski, Billie; Borland, Ron; Doran, Christopher; Hall, Wayne; Farrell, Michael; Siahpush, Mohammad; Sanson‐Fisher, Rob; West, Robert; Mattick, Richard P.
• Is Part Of: Addiction. Volume 109:Number 10(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1602
• Page End: 1611
• Publication Date: 2014-07-18
• Subjects: Alcoholism -- Periodicals; Drug addiction -- Periodicals; 616.86
• DOI: 10.1111/add.12669
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0965-2140

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <sec id="add12669-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background and Aims</title> <p>Reducing smoking prevalence among smokers from low socio‐economic status (SES) is a preventative health priority. Financial stress (e.g. shortage of money or inability to pay bills) may be a major barrier to quitting smoking. This study evaluates the efficacy of a financial education and support programme coupled with pharmacotherapy at improving cessation rates at 8‐month follow‐up among Australian low SES smokers (people receiving a government pension or allowance).</p> </sec> <sec id="add12669-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>A two‐group parallel block randomized (ratio 1 : 1) open‐label clinical trial (RCT) with allocation concealment will be conducted. Allocation will be concealed to interviewers at data collection‐points.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12669-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>The study will be conducted primarily by telephone with baseline, follow‐up interviews and telephone‐based support sessions. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) delivery will be mail‐based.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12669-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Participants</title> <p>Daily smokers who are interested in quitting smoking and are currently in receipt of government benefits (<italic>n</italic> = 1046) will be recruited through study advertisements placed in newspapers, posters placed in government social assistance agencies and Quitline telephone‐based cessation support services. After completion of a baseline computer‐assisted telephone interview, participants will be allocated randomly to control or intervention group using a permuted block approach.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12669-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Intervention and Comparator</title> <p>Participants in both groups will receive 8 weeks of free combination NRT plus Quitline support. Participants in the intervention group will also receive four telephone‐delivered financial education and support sessions.</p> </sec> <sec id="add12669-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Measurements</title> <p>The primary outcome measure will be prolonged abstinence (at 8‐month follow‐up) assessed using Russell Standard criteria and biochemically verified (urine cotinine).</p> </sec> <sec id="add12669-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Comments</title> <p>This is the first intervention study to evaluate the potential of co‐managing financial stress as a means of enhancing smokers' capacity to quit smoking. Such an intervention may provide a scalable intervention to help low SES smokers to quit.</p> </sec> </abstract>