Trial Information

Prolonged Smoking Cessation Using Prescription Step Care

A common approach to increasing long-term adherence and control of chronic medical problems
such as hypertension in both general and preventive medicine is the concept of step care.
Despite a high degree of interest in applying the step care model to smoking cessation
(Abrams et al., 1996; Hughes, 1994), little empirical work has been conducted utilizing this
treatment approach. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy of a
step care model for smoking cessation that is disseminable in primary care settings. With
that introduction, we propose the following specific aims:

Aim 1: To enroll approximately 400 adult cigarette smokers recruited mainly from primary
care settings;

Aim 2: To randomize these participants to: 1) State of the Art Smoking Cessation + Recycling
or 2) State of the Art Smoking Cessation + Step Care; and

Aim 3: To evaluate the long-term (24 months post-randomization) relative success of the
interventions. It is predicted that long-term cessation rates will be significantly higher
in the step care condition.