Publication year: 2011
Source: Addictive Behaviors, In Press, Accepted Manuscript, Available online 25 August 2011
Severin, Haug , Christian, Meyer , Ulrich, John
Objective: To test the feasibility and efficacy of an Internet program for smoking cessation during and after inpatient treatment in rehabilitation centers. Methods: A total of 7574 consecutively admitted inpatients from three German rehabilitation centers were assessed for smoking status. Daily smokers or former daily smokers who regularly used the Internet and e-mail were proactively invited for study participation. Out of 749 eligible patients, 477 (64%) participated in the study and were randomly assigned to an intervention or an assessment only control group based on the calendar week of admission. Patients of the intervention group had the possibility to use an Internet program…
Highlights: ► So far, Internet smoking cessation programs have not been tested in older smokers with differing intentions to quit. ► Two thirds of all eligible smokers participated in this study testing an Internet program for smoking cessation. ► The majority of study participants were older than 40 years and a substantial part had no intention to stop smoking. ► After six months, smoking abstinence was twice as high in program participants as in patients of the control group.