A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 58 studies. A nursing intervention compared to a control or to usual care was found to increase the likelihood of quitting (RR 1.29; 95% CI 1.21 to 1.38, 35 studies, over 22 000 participants; high heterogeneity, I²=50%). In a subgroup analysis there was no evidence that high-intensity interventions or interventions with additional follow-up were more effective than lower intensity or interventions with additional follow-up.
Another Cochrane review [Abstract] 2 included 81 studies. Provision of adjunctive counselling by a health professional other than the physician (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.55; I² = 44%; 22 studies, n=18150) increased smoking abstinence at 6 months in primary care.
Comment: The quality of evidence is downgradedby limitations in study quality (unclear allocation concealment and incomplete outcome data in half of the studies).
Primary/Secondary Keywords