Smoking cessation most effective when smokers have person-to-person support, data shows

CHICAGO Recent meta-analysis research published Monday in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that smoking cessation programs offered to hospitalized smokers is most effective if supportive contacts remain in contact with that smoker for more than one month following discharge.

Smoking counseling that began during hospitalization and included supportive contacts for more than 1 month after discharge increased smoking cessation rates at 6 to 12 months, versus no benefit with those interventions with less post-discharge contact. Adding nicotine replacement therapy to counseling improved results.