Abstract
BackgroundSmoking cessation services provide support to smokers who desire to quit. Published studies to date have looked at the cost and benefit of service provision but typically focus on clinical trial data. Using routinely collected observational data, this study examined the costs involved in providing a service in terms of average health care expenditure per successful quit attempt in addition to population – level cost-effectiveness measures.MethodsData were analysed from Quit-51 smoking cessation service across five English regions between March 2013 and March 2016 (n = 9116). For each user, costs were estimated in relation to: (i) time spent with advisers; (ii) prescription of pharmacotherapy. The total costs compared against self-reported quit at 12 weeks, which represents the time period for which the service is offered. Cost per quit (CPQ), with 95% confidence interval (CI), was calculated by relating total expenditure to the number of quitters, firstly for the whole dataset and then by subgroups of key categorical variables, namely; gender, age group, the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND) and Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). Confidence intervals (CIs) for the mean estimates were derived using a non-parametric bootstrap procedure. Parameters derived from the calculation in relation to treatment were used to estimate potential long-term population outcomes under a scenario where the Quit 51 prescription was rolled out nationally.ResultsThe overall mean CPQ for this sample as estimated at 12 weeks was £403.51 (95% CI = £393.36 to £413.76). The estimated CPQs at this time point were comparable for those aged 12–19 (£423.56, 95% CI = £369.45 to £492.60) and those aged 20–29 (£430.76, 95% CI = £395.95 to £470.56). Differences were also seen in relation to other subgroups considered. The treatment parameters translated to a projected increase of 1.5 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) per 1000 smokers in the short-term and 23.4 QALYS per 1000 smokers based on a lifetime horizon.ConclusionsThese figures throw light on service expenditure for each successful quit over the timeframe for which the service is offered in addition to highlighting variability in these costs across different subgroups of the user population.
Highlights
Smoking cessation services provide support to smokers who desire to quit
In the United Kingdom, support is offered to those wishing to quit through the provision of smoking cessation services which operate according to guidelines laid out by the National Centre for Smoking Cessation Treatment (NCSCT) based on the latest available evidence on effective cessation strategies [5, 6]
Differences were observed between age groups such that Cost per quit (CPQ) tended to decrease with increasing age, for the two youngest age groups (12–19 and 20–29 years) the average costs were effectively indistinguishable when the confidence interval (CI) are taken into account as was the case for the two oldest age groups
Summary
Smoking cessation services provide support to smokers who desire to quit. Using routinely collected observational data, this study examined the costs involved in providing a service in terms of average health care expenditure per successful quit attempt in addition to population – level cost-effectiveness measures. Bans on smoking in public places, coupled with increasing awareness of the adverse effects on health have helped to reduce the number of smokers in many countries [3]. In the United Kingdom, support is offered to those wishing to quit through the provision of smoking cessation services which operate according to guidelines laid out by the National Centre for Smoking Cessation Treatment (NCSCT) based on the latest available evidence on effective cessation strategies [5, 6]. Varenicline (proprietary name in UK - Champix) and bupropion (proprietary name in UK - Zyban) are available, the last of these is rarely used in light of concerns over side-effects [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
