I A Campbell1, R D Chaudhary2, G M C Holdsworth3, O D Lyne4. 1. Llandough Hospital, Cardiff, UK. 2. Britain Nepal Medical Trust, Biratnagar, Nepal. 3. Britain Nepal Medical Trust, Tonbridge, UK. 4. University of Kent, Canterbury, UK.
Abstract
SETTING: Tuberculosis (TB) treatment centres in Eastern Nepal. OBJECTIVE: To determine smoking cessation rates among TB patients advised to quit. DESIGN: One intervention and one control centre were studied. At the intervention centre, brief advice about smoking and cessation was given at the start of anti-tuberculosis treatment, and repeated 2 and 5 months later. After 6 months of standard treatment, patients were asked about quitting. Expired air carbon monoxide (CO) was measured in those claiming 6 months of abstinence. RESULTS: None of the 51 controls achieved 6 months of abstinence, whereas 77 (39%) of the 195 in the intervention group claimed at least 6 months of abstinence. All claims were verified by CO measurement in expired air (95%CI 31.4-47.6, P < 0.0001 for the difference in smoking cessation). CONCLUSION: Brief advice on smoking cessation to patients starting anti-tuberculosis treatment in the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) setting in Eastern Nepal led to 39% quitting for least 6 months. Our results should encourage randomised trials in smokers with TB in Nepal: if substantiated, smoking cessation advice should become a mandatory component of the NTP.
SETTING:Tuberculosis (TB) treatment centres in Eastern Nepal. OBJECTIVE: To determine smoking cessation rates among TB patients advised to quit. DESIGN: One intervention and one control centre were studied. At the intervention centre, brief advice about smoking and cessation was given at the start of anti-tuberculosis treatment, and repeated 2 and 5 months later. After 6 months of standard treatment, patients were asked about quitting. Expired air carbon monoxide (CO) was measured in those claiming 6 months of abstinence. RESULTS: None of the 51 controls achieved 6 months of abstinence, whereas 77 (39%) of the 195 in the intervention group claimed at least 6 months of abstinence. All claims were verified by CO measurement in expired air (95%CI 31.4-47.6, P < 0.0001 for the difference in smoking cessation). CONCLUSION: Brief advice on smoking cessation to patients starting anti-tuberculosis treatment in the National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP) setting in Eastern Nepal led to 39% quitting for least 6 months. Our results should encourage randomised trials in smokers with TB in Nepal: if substantiated, smoking cessation advice should become a mandatory component of the NTP.
Authors: H A Gupte; R Zachariah; K D Sagili; V Thawal; L Chaudhuri; H Verma; A Dongre; A Malekar; N A Rigotti Journal: Public Health Action Date: 2018-06-21