Engagement with stop smoking services after referral or signposting: A mixed methods study

Pope, Ian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5623-4178, Rashid, Simrun, Iqbal, Hassan, Belderson, Pippa, Ward, Emma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7579-3215, Clark, Lucy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7162-0512, Conway, Tom, Stirling, Susan, Clark, Allan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2965-8941, Agrawal, Sanjay, Bauld, Linda and Notley, Caitlin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0876-3304 (2024) Engagement with stop smoking services after referral or signposting: A mixed methods study. Nicotine and Tobacco Research. ISSN 1462-2203

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Abstract

Introduction: Screening for smoking when people interact with healthcare services and referral of those who smoke to stop smoking services (SSSs) is a key component of efforts to tackle tobacco use. However, little is known about what happens after someone is referred or signposted to SSSs. Methods: As part of the Cessation of Smoking Trial in the Emergency Department (NCT04854616), those randomised to intervention (n= 505) were referred to local SSSs (along with receiving brief advice and an e-cigarette starter kit) and those randomised to control (n= 502) were given contact details for the same services (signposted). SSS engagement data was collected: 1) directly from participants and 2) from SSS, additional qualitative data came from 33 participant interviews. Results: Engagement with SSSs was very low. 3.2% (n=16) of those in the intervention group and 2.4% (n=12) in the control group reported attending a one-to-one support session. From SSS data, engagement was also low with 8.9% (n=43) of those referred engaging and 3.1% (n=15) going on to quit with SSS support. The majority of the 24 intervention participants interviewed did not recall being contacted by an SSS. Conclusion: Referral or signposting to stop smoking services within an Emergency Department based trial resulted in very low levels of engagement. Barriers to engagement identified included participants not being contacted by SSSs and the support offered not meeting their needs. Implications: Referral or signposting of those who smoke to Stop smoking services from the Emergency Department resulted in low rates of engagement in this large multi-centre randomised controlled trial. In order to better support those who smoke it may be more effective for smoking cessation advice to be offered ‘in the moment’ within clinical settings, and follow-up to be proactively offered rather than relying on people being motivated to contact the services themselves or engaging when contacted.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Data availability statement: The protocol, consent form, statistical analysis plan, medical ethics committee approvals, training materials and other relevant study materials are available online at https://osf.io/8hbne/. Deidentified participant data will be made available upon reasonable request. Funding information: This study is funded by the NIHR [Health Technology Assessment (NIHR129438)]. The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.
Uncontrolled Keywords: sdg 3 - good health and well-being ,/dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/good_health_and_well_being
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Norwich Medical School
UEA Research Groups: Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Groups > Child Protection & Family Support
Faculty of Social Sciences > Research Centres > Centre for Research on Children and Families
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Lifespan Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Norwich Clinical Trials Unit
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Population Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Epidemiology and Public Health
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Groups > Health Services and Primary Care
Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences > Research Centres > Norwich Institute for Healthy Aging
Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 01 Jul 2024 12:33
Last Modified: 22 Nov 2024 01:39
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/95725
DOI: 10.1093/ntr/ntae159

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