Reactive Telephone Counselling Research Articles

Telephone counselling for smoking cessation.

Telephone services can provide information and support for smokers. Counselling may be provided proactively or offered reactively to callers to smoking cessation helplines. To evaluate the effect of telephone support to help smokers quit, including proactive or reactive counselling, or the provision of other information to smokers calling a helpline. We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialised Register, clinicaltrials.gov, and the ICTRP for studies of telephone counselling, using search terms including 'hotlines' or 'quitline' or 'helpline'. Date of the most recent search: May 2018. Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials which offered proactive or reactive telephone counselling to smokers to assist smoking cessation. We used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. We pooled studies using a random-effects model and assessed statistical heterogeneity amongst subgroups of clinically comparable studies using the I2 statistic. In trials including smokers who did not call a quitline, we used meta-regression to investigate moderation of the effect of telephone counselling by the planned number of calls in the intervention, trial selection of participants that were motivated to quit, and the baseline support provided together with telephone counselling (either self-help only, brief face-to-face intervention, pharmacotherapy, or financial incentives). We identified 104 trials including 111,653 participants that met the inclusion criteria. Participants were mostly adult smokers from the general population, but some studies included teenagers, pregnant women, and people with long-term or mental health conditions. Most trials (58.7%) were at high risk of bias, while 30.8% were at unclear risk, and only 11.5% were at low risk of bias for all domains assessed. Most studies (100/104) assessed proactive telephone counselling, as opposed to reactive forms.Among trials including smokers who contacted helplines (32,484 participants), quit rates were higher for smokers receiving multiple sessions of proactive counselling (risk ratio (RR) 1.38, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19 to 1.61; 14 trials, 32,484 participants; I2 = 72%) compared with a control condition providing self-help materials or brief counselling in a single call. Due to the substantial unexplained heterogeneity between studies, we downgraded the certainty of the evidence to moderate.In studies that recruited smokers who did not call a helpline, the provision of telephone counselling increased quit rates (RR 1.25, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.35; 65 trials, 41,233 participants; I2 = 52%). Due to the substantial unexplained heterogeneity between studies, we downgraded the certainty of the evidence to moderate. In subgroup analysis, we found no evidence that the effect of telephone counselling depended upon whether or not other interventions were provided (P = 0.21), no evidence that more intensive support was more effective than less intensive (P = 0.43), or that the effect of telephone support depended upon whether or not people were actively trying to quit smoking (P = 0.32). However, in meta-regression, telephone counselling was associated with greater effectiveness when provided as an adjunct to self-help written support (P < 0.01), or to a brief intervention from a health professional (P = 0.02); telephone counselling was less effective when provided as an adjunct to more intensive counselling. Further, telephone support was more effective for people who were motivated to try to quit smoking (P = 0.02). The findings from three additional trials of smokers who had not proactively called a helpline but were offered telephone counselling, found quit rates were higher in those offered three to five telephone calls compared to those offered just one call (RR 1.27, 95% CI 1.12 to 1.44; 2602 participants; I2 = 0%). There is moderate-certainty evidence that proactive telephone counselling aids smokers who seek help from quitlines, and moderate-certainty evidence that proactive telephone counselling increases quit rates in smokers in other settings. There is currently insufficient evidence to assess potential variations in effect from differences in the number of contacts, type or timing of telephone counselling, or when telephone counselling is provided as an adjunct to other smoking cessation therapies. Evidence was inconclusive on the effect of reactive telephone counselling, due to a limited number studies, which reflects the difficulty of studying this intervention.

The effectiveness of telephone counselling and internet- and text-message-based support for smoking cessation: results from a randomized controlled trial.

To compare the effectiveness of proactive telephone counselling, reactive telephone counselling and an internet- and text-message-based intervention with a self-help booklet for smoking cessation. A randomized controlled trial with equal allocation to four conditions: (1) proactive telephone counselling (n=452), (2) reactive telephone counselling (n=453), (3) internet- and text-message-based intervention (n=453) and (4) self-help booklet (control) (n=452). Denmark. Smokers who had participated previously in two national health surveys were invited. Eligibility criteria were daily cigarette smoking, age≥16years, having a mobile phone and e-mail address. Primary outcome was prolonged abstinence to 12months from the end of the intervention period. At 12-month follow-up, higher prolonged abstinence was found in the proactive telephone counselling group compared with the booklet group [7.3 versus 3.6%, odds ratio (OR)=2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.2-4.0]. There was no clear evidence of a difference in prolonged abstinence between the reactive telephone counselling group or the internet-based smoking cessation program and the booklet group: 1.8 versus 3.6%, OR=0.8, 95% CI=0.6-1.2 and 5.3 versus 3.6%, OR=1.6, 95% CI=0.8-3.0, respectively. In the proactive telephone counselling group, the cost per additional 12-month quitter compared with the booklet group was £644. Proactive telephone counselling was more effective than a self-help booklet in achieving prolonged abstinence for 12months. No clear evidence of an effect of reactive telephone counselling or the internet- and text-message-based intervention was found compared with the self-help booklet.

Reach and uptake of Internet- and phone-based smoking cessation interventions: Results from a randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveTo study whether demographic and smoking-related characteristics are associated with participation (reach) in a smoking cessation trial and subsequent use (uptake) of two specific smoking interventions (Internet-based program and proactive telephone counseling). MethodsWe used data from a four-arm randomized smoking cessation trial (2011). Participants (n=1,809) were recruited among 9,924 smokers who previously participated in two health surveys in Denmark (2007–2008 and 2010). Interventions were as follows: (1) an Internet-based smoking cessation program, (2) proactive telephone counseling, (3) reactive telephone counseling and (4) a self-help booklet. ResultsReach (defined as the proportion accepting to participate in the trial of those invited) was highest among persons aged 40–59years, women, heavy smokers and persons with long education. Among trial participants, uptake (defined as any use of the specific intervention at 1-month follow-up) was 69% for the Internet-based program, 74% and 9% for proactive and reactive telephone counseling, respectively, and 84% for the self-help booklet. Young age was associated with the uptake of the Internet-based program, and short education was associated with using proactive telephone counseling. ConclusionsInternet-based interventions and proactive telephone counseling appeal to different age and educational groups. Further, offering similar intervention content by a proactive and a reactive approach can be associated with different intervention uptake.

Telephone counselling for smoking cessation

Telephone services can provide information and support for smokers. Counselling may be provided proactively or offered reactively to callers to smoking cessation helplines. To evaluate the effect of proactive and reactive telephone support via helplines and in other settings to help smokers quit. We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group Specialised Register for studies of telephone counselling, using search terms including 'hotlines' or 'quitline' or 'helpline'. Date of the most recent search: May 2013. randomized or quasi-randomised controlled trials in which proactive or reactive telephone counselling to assist smoking cessation was offered to smokers or recent quitters. One author identified and data extracted trials, and a second author checked them. The main outcome measure was the risk ratio for abstinence from smoking after at least six months follow-up. We selected the strictest measure of abstinence, using biochemically validated rates where available. We considered participants lost to follow-up to be continuing smokers. Where trials had more than one arm with a less intensive intervention we used only the most similar intervention without the telephone component as the control group in the primary analysis. We assessed statistical heterogeneity amongst subgroups of clinically comparable studies using the I² statistic. We considered trials recruiting callers to quitlines separately from studies recruiting in other settings. Where appropriate, we pooled studies using a fixed-effect model. We used a meta-regression to investigate the effect of differences in planned number of calls, selection for motivation, and the nature of the control condition (self help only, minimal intervention, pharmacotherapy) in the group of studies recruiting in non-quitline settings. Seventy-seven trials met the inclusion criteria. Some trials were judged to be at risk of bias in some domains but overall we did not judge the results to be at high risk of bias. Among smokers who contacted helplines, quit rates were higher for groups randomized to receive multiple sessions of proactive counselling (nine studies, > 24,000 participants, risk ratio (RR) for cessation at longest follow-up 1.37, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.26 to 1.50). There was mixed evidence about whether increasing the number of calls altered quit rates but most trials used more than two calls. Three studies comparing different counselling approaches during a single quitline contact did not detect significant differences. Of three studies that tested the provision of access to a hotline two detected a significant benefit and one did not.Telephone counselling not initiated by calls to helplines also increased quitting (51 studies, > 30,000 participants, RR 1.27; 95% CI 1.20 to 1.36). In a meta-regression controlling for other factors the effect was estimated to be slightly larger if more calls were offered, and in trials that specifically recruited smokers motivated to try to quit. The relative extra benefit of counselling was smaller when it was provided in addition to pharmacotherapy (usually nicotine replacement therapy) than when the control group only received self-help material or a brief intervention.A further eight studies were too diverse to contribute to meta-analyses and are discussed separately. Two compared different intensities of counselling, both of which detected a dose response; one of these detected a benefit of multiple counselling sessions over a single call for people prescribed bupropion. The others tested a variety of interventions largely involving offering telephone counselling as part of a referral or systems change and none detected evidence of effect. Proactive telephone counselling aids smokers who seek help from quitlines. Telephone quitlines provide an important route of access to support for smokers, and call-back counselling enhances their usefulness. There is limited evidence about the optimal number of calls. Proactive telephone counselling also helps people who receive it in other settings. There is some evidence of a dose response; one or two brief calls are less likely to provide a measurable benefit. Three or more calls increase the chances of quitting compared to a minimal intervention such as providing standard self-help materials, or brief advice, or compared to pharmacotherapy alone.

The cost effectiveness of telephone counselling to aid smoking cessation in Denmark: A modelling study

To assess the cost-effectiveness of the Danish smoking cessation telephone service "quitline". The study was based on the number of quitline callers in 2005. The outcome was measured as costs per life year saved (LYS) based on the assessment in 2001 of continued abstinence over a 12-month period (19.0%) and point prevalence of abstinence at 12 months of follow up (29.7%), respectively. The costs per LYS are estimated as the annual running costs of reactive telephone counselling service divided by the total number of LYS, which has been estimated as the difference between current smokers' and ex-smokers' life expectancies according to age group and gender based on Danish smoking proportions, relative risks of smoking-related mortality of all causes, and standard life tables. A total of 511 ex-smokers have been estimated to gain 2172 life years based on continued abstinence over 12 months. Using the point prevalence abstinence at 12 months, 799 ex-smokers are estimated to gain 3394 life years. Discounting LYS at 3% p.a., the costs per LYS are €213 for ex-smokers with continued abstinence and €137 for ex-smokers with point prevalence abstinence. The sensitivity analysis for a worst-case scenario indicates that the costs per LYS are €1199. For comparison the average costs per LYS of smoking cessation interventions in other Danish settings are €1592 (95% CI €1547-1636). The Danish reactive telephone counselling to aid smoking cessation appears to be cost-effective in comparison with other Danish smoking cessation interventions.

Adding live, reactive telephone counselling to self-help literature does not increase smoking cessation

Commentary on: Sood A, Andoh J, Verhulst S, et al. “Real-world” effectiveness of reactive telephone counseling for smoking cessation: a randomized controlled trial. Chest 2009;136:1229–36.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] Telephone helplines to encourage and offer support to smokers during their attempts to quit are a flexible and convenient method of providing advice to those seeking minimal assistance. Quitlines began as reactive lines, where the smoker initiates the call to a designated number to receive advice and information. Many now also offer proactive callback services, where a trained counsellor initiates the call to the smoker, in an attempt to provide more continuous care to those who are reluctant to seek face-to-face treatment. Randomised trials of proactive services have found them to be effective in increasing quit rates. Descriptive … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DChest%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1378%252Fchest.08-2425%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F19225061%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1378/chest.08-2425&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=19225061&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febnurs%2F13%2F2%2F42.atom

“Real-World” Effectiveness of Reactive Telephone Counseling for Smoking Cessation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Reactive telephone helplines for smoking cessation (where all calls to counselors are smoker initiated) are increasingly used in the United States. However, limited data from randomized controlled trials are available on their effectiveness. The study objective was to evaluate the real-world effectiveness of reactive telephone counseling for smoking cessation using a randomized controlled trial study design.The study was implemented during a period from 2003 to 2006 to evaluate a reactive telephone helpline run by the American Lung Association chapter of Illinois-Iowa. The 990 new callers, all adult current smokers who called the helpline, were randomized on their first call into one of the two following groups: a control group that received only mailed self-help literature (n = 496); and a study group that received supplemental live reactive telephone counseling (n = 494). Telephone follow-up was completed at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after study enrollment by interviewers blinded to group assignment. Seven-day point prevalence rates of self-reported abstinence at follow-up evaluations were compared between the two groups using an intent-to-treat design.The two groups did not differ significantly in baseline demographics and smoking-related behavior. The abstinence rates (ranging between 0.09 and 0.15) were not significantly different between the two groups at 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up evaluations. Post hoc subgroup analysis showed that black callers had lower abstinence rates at the 3- and 12-month follow-up evaluations as compared with white callers.Supplemental live, reactive telephone counseling does not provide greater success in smoking cessation than self-help educational materials alone.

Telephone counselling for smoking cessation.

Telephone services can provide information and support for smokers. Counselling may be provided proactively or offered reactively to callers to smoking cessation helplines. To evaluate the effect of proactive and reactive telephone support to help smokers quit. We searched the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group trials register for studies using free text term 'telephone*' or the keywords 'telephone counselling' or 'Hotlines' or 'Telephone'. Date of the most recent search: September 2002. Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials in which proactive or reactive telephone counselling to assist smoking cessation was offered to smokers or recent quitters. Trials were identified and data extracted by one person and checked by a second. The main outcome measure was abstinence from smoking after at least six months follow-up. We used the most rigorous definition of abstinence in each trial, and biochemically validated rates where available. Participants lost to follow-up were considered to be continuing smokers. Where trials had more than one arm with a less intensive intervention we used only the most similar intervention as the control group in the primary analysis. Where interventions were similar, we performed meta-analysis using a fixed effects model (Peto method) to give an odds ratio. Twenty seven trials met inclusion criteria. Thirteen trials compared proactive counselling to a minimal intervention control. There was statistical heterogeneity, with five trials showing a significant benefit, and eight showing non significant differences. The heterogeneity was associated with trials that provided tailored self-help materials to the control group. Meta-analysis using all less intensive intervention arms as the control removed the heterogeneity and suggests that telephone counselling compared to less intensive intervention increases quit rates (OR 1.56, 1.38 - 1.77). Four trials adding telephone support to a face to face intervention control failed to detect a significant effect on long term quit rates. Four trials failed to detect an additional effect of telephone support in users of nicotine replacement therapy. Providing access to a hotline showed a significant benefit in one trial and no significant difference in two. No differences in outcome were detected in trials that compared different types of telephone counselling. Proactive telephone counselling can be effective compared to an intervention without personal contact. Successful interventions generally involve multiple contacts timed around a quit attempt. The available evidence neither confirms nor rules out a benefit of telephone counselling as an adjunct to face to face counselling or pharmacotherapy. Further trials randomising access to helplines are unlikely to be done but indirect evidence suggests they can be a useful part of a smoking cessation service.