Adding An Electronic-cigarette To Standard Behavioural Treatment For Low-socioeconomic Status Smokers: A Randomised Trial.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,381,127.00
Summary
Behavioural and pharmacological approaches to smoking cessation are effective at helping people to quit but long-term quit rates remain low, especially among low-SES Australians. The electronic cigarette may complement current treatment approaches. We will conduct a large-scale trial to determine if “e-cigarettes” can improve on the efficacy of existing treatments. The findings would have immediate practical implications that could reduce the preventable deaths of many tobacco smokers.
Intervention For Tobacco Dependence Among People With A Psychotic Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$387,625.00
Summary
The prevalence of smoking among people with a psychiatric illness, especially schizophrenia, is greater than that in the general population. Exposure to tobacco smoke has been identified as a cause of 32 different diseases as well as a cause of fire injuries. Tobacco smoke is known to contain carcinogens, as well as nicotine and numerous other poisonous substances. An extensive body of scientific evidence shows that active cigarette smoking increases the risk of many different cancers. Smoking r ....The prevalence of smoking among people with a psychiatric illness, especially schizophrenia, is greater than that in the general population. Exposure to tobacco smoke has been identified as a cause of 32 different diseases as well as a cause of fire injuries. Tobacco smoke is known to contain carcinogens, as well as nicotine and numerous other poisonous substances. An extensive body of scientific evidence shows that active cigarette smoking increases the risk of many different cancers. Smoking related diseases rate second in frequency to suicide as the greatest contributor to early mortality in schizophrenia. Popular opinion holds that people with mental illness are lacking in motivation to change their behaviour due to the effects of their mental illness. However, a recent survey of inpatients in a psychiatric hospital in Newcastle, NSW, revealed that over a quarter of smokers were either preparing to quit or cut down on their smoking or already had taken action to reduce their smoking. The present research proposal represents the first large randomised controlled trial of an intervention for tobacco dependence among people with a mental illness. This project will compare the effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy combined with counselling with a self-help booklet on smoking. The proposed research follows a small clinical study of the feasibility of the intervention and a small randomised controlled trial supported by the Australian Rotary Health Research Fund. The proposed study brings together the expertise of several people across Australia who have experience in treating people with mental illness and drug dependence, including tobacco dependence. The results will inform future clinical interventions for smokers with a mental illness.Read moreRead less
Community Action For Smoking Cessation In Remote Aboriginal Communities
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,162,650.00
Summary
Smoking rates halved in Australia over the past 30 years to below 20% in 2004. However, Indigenous Australians continued to smoke at more than double this rate. In remote Aboriginal communities in the NT's 'Top End', over two-thirds of the population smoke. Smoking tobacco causes the greatest burden of disease for Australians generally. For Indigenous Australians, it is the single most important reversible risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality. With no sign of reduction in smoking le ....Smoking rates halved in Australia over the past 30 years to below 20% in 2004. However, Indigenous Australians continued to smoke at more than double this rate. In remote Aboriginal communities in the NT's 'Top End', over two-thirds of the population smoke. Smoking tobacco causes the greatest burden of disease for Australians generally. For Indigenous Australians, it is the single most important reversible risk factor for morbidity and premature mortality. With no sign of reduction in smoking levels, Indigenous Australians remain at greater risk of hospitalisations or death from many tobacco-related illnesses. Smoking in Australia was reduced through individually-oriented measures, public education and supply control. These strategies have either not been tried or have not been adequately studied in Aboriginal communities. Effective interventions could provide major health gains for Aboriginal Australians and reduce health costs. The intervention we propose will be based on an agreement whereby four remote communities in the 'Top End' will make a pact with the researchers to jointly try to reduce tobacco smoking using community-wide mobilisation, training and education. The intervention with have multiple components. We will not evaluate each component separately. The effect of the whole intervention on smoking will be assessed. Tobacco sales for the whole community in these small isolated localities, a sensitive and reliable measure, should decline if the intervention works. Tobacco smokers will be assessed before the intervention in each community and followed up twice to assess quit rates. Quit rates should go up. Five years are needed for the study because smoking behaviour change does not happen quickly or at peoples' first attempt. With staggered implementation of the intervention, i.e. not starting in all communities at once, reductions in smoking in more than one community will make us confident that the intervention worked.Read moreRead less
Efficacy Of Education And Advice Delivered By Text Message To Aid Smoking Cessation
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$538,395.00
Summary
A high proportion of smokers indicate a desire to stop smoking and report having made attempts to quit. However, most attempts are not successful and new methods are needed to support motivated smokers and improve success rates. This project evaluates the use of text messages to deliver advice and support to smokers motivated to stop smoking. We aim to understand if and how this promosing new intervention helps smokers to quit.
Quitlink: Accessible Smoking Cessation Support For People Living With Severe And Enduring Mental Illness
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,141,189.00
Summary
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in people with severe mental illness (SMI). Although smokers with SMI want to quit, tailored interventions are rarely delivered in practice. Quitlines are well placed but underutilised by this group. “Quitlink” will utilise peer workers within mental health services to engage smokers with SMI in a tailored Quitline intervention. We will also qualitatively examine facilitators and barriers to cessation in order to improve future interventions.
An Open-label Randomised Pragmatic Policy Trial Of Nicotine Products For Short-term Cessation Assistance Or Long-term Substitution In Smokers.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,053,910.00
Summary
Many smokers who try to quit fail in their attempt. Medicinal nicotine is currently only used as a short-term quit aid. This trial will test if offering smokers the option of using these products as long-term substitutes for cigarettes will help more smokers to successfully quit. We will also determine if offering smokers low toxicity smokeless tobacco and electronic nicotine devices in addition to medicinal nicotine products further increases the number of smokers who quit successfully.
Smoking Cessation And Bone Health: Observational And Intervention Studies In Twins And A Quitline Population
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$639,050.00
Summary
Osteoporosis is a major health problem that causes bones to break (fracture) easily. Many bones are susceptible, with hip fractures being the worst outcome of osteoporosis. They cause pain, disability, require major health interventions (surgery and rehabilitation), lead to death in about 20% of cases, and the overall care of hip fracture patients is very expensive. Osteoporosis is treated to reduce the risk of fractures. The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis should include avoidance of f ....Osteoporosis is a major health problem that causes bones to break (fracture) easily. Many bones are susceptible, with hip fractures being the worst outcome of osteoporosis. They cause pain, disability, require major health interventions (surgery and rehabilitation), lead to death in about 20% of cases, and the overall care of hip fracture patients is very expensive. Osteoporosis is treated to reduce the risk of fractures. The prevention and treatment of osteoporosis should include avoidance of factors known to bring on or worsen the condition. Smokers are known to have an increased risk of osteoporosis and fractures. However, it is not known how smoking brings on osteoporosis. Importantly, neither is it clear whether quitting smoking leads to improved bone health (and a reduced risk of fractures). These are important questions for the community in general and for smokers with osteoporosis in particular. We will endeavour to answer these questions by studying twins who do and do not smoke and by observing what happens to measures of bone health (bone mineral density and other factors) in people attempting to quit smoking. New information gained from these studies may lead to better ways of avoiding or treating the damage that smoking does to bone. We may also become able to predict the benefit to bone when people quit smoking.Read moreRead less
Evaluating The Efficacy Of An Integrated Smoking Cessation Intervention For Mental Health Patients: A Randomised Controlled Trial
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$1,442,270.00
Summary
Smoking rates are 2 to 4 times higher among people with a mental illness than among the general population. There is an imperative to identify effective cessation interventions that can be systematically provided to smokers with a mental illness. The aim of this project is to undertake a rigorous test of the efficacy of a smoking cessation intervention for smokers with mental illness; where intervention commences in the hospital inpatient setting and extended support continues post-discharge.
A Multi-component Intervention For Smoking Cessation Among Australian Male Prison Inmates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$551,500.00
Summary
The prevalence of smoking amongst the Australian prison population is much higher than that in the general community. Despite a perception that prison inmates are unlikely to give up smoking while in prison, a recent survey has found that many inmates have attempted to quit or have reduced the amount they smoke. The same survey reported that almost a quarter of male inmates were planning to give up smoking within the next three months. Depression and anxiety are common among prison inmates. Rese ....The prevalence of smoking amongst the Australian prison population is much higher than that in the general community. Despite a perception that prison inmates are unlikely to give up smoking while in prison, a recent survey has found that many inmates have attempted to quit or have reduced the amount they smoke. The same survey reported that almost a quarter of male inmates were planning to give up smoking within the next three months. Depression and anxiety are common among prison inmates. Research has shown that people with depression or anxiety problems are less likely to quit, and more likely to relapse, than smokers without these symptoms. For this reason there has been interest in incorporating antidepressant medications into quit strategies. As a group with a high prevalence of depression and anxiety, prisoners may benefit from an intervention strategy that includes an antidepressant medication. Prisoners are often poorly educated, on a low income or benefits, or from a lower socioeconomic or an indigenous background. Members of this disadvantaged group have been shown to be less likely to use preventive health services, such as smoking cessation programs. This research proposal represents the first large scale randomised controlled trial of a multi-component intervention for tobacco dependence amongst a prisoner population in the world. This project will compare the effectiveness of adding an antidepressant medication to counselling, nicotine replacement therapy, a coping with change package and referral to a Quitline. The proposed research follows a small pilot study of the feasibility of a similar intervention. It brings together the expertise of several people across Australia with experience in tobacco dependence and prison research. The results will inform future smoking interventions for prison inmates and offers a real opportunity to impact upon the health and well-being of some of the most marginalised groups in Australian society.Read moreRead less
Randomised Controlled Trial Of A Financial Counselling Intervention And Smoking Cessation Assistance To Reduce Smoking In Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Groups
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$2,029,662.00
Summary
Socioeconomically disadvantaged groups are more likely to smoke than other sectors of the community. This difference has been attributed, in part, to increased rates of relapse. Relapse is strongly and consistently predicted by financial stress. This project attempts to reduce relapse by reducing financial stress among disadvantaged smokers through the provision of financial counselling as an adjunct to NRT.