In brief: Post-discharge counseling helps hospitalized smokers quit
In brief
Post-discharge counseling helps hospitalized smokers quit
A review of hospital-based stop-smoking programs in nine countries concluded that only the programs that continued after inpatient treatment ended enable patients to remain smoke-free.
Dr. Nancy Rigotti, director of the Tobacco Research and Treatment Center at Massachusetts General Hospital, collaborated with two colleagues to analyze 33 clinical trials of interventions conducted between 1999 and 2007. Programs were divided into four categories, ranging from a single brief contact in the hospital to a program involving counseling that extended beyond the inpatient stay.
Subscribe to Harvard Health Online for immediate access to health news and information from Harvard Medical School.
- Research health conditions
- Check your symptoms
- Prepare for a doctor's visit or test
- Find the best treatments and procedures for you
- Explore options for better nutrition and exercise