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A comparison of pharmacological tobacco cessation relapse rates.

McMurry TB

Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA 92106, USA. tmcmurry@cox.net

Tobacco use is the nation's leading preventable cause of chronic illness and injury; it takes the lives of 450,000 of our citizens each year. Currently, there are numerous treatment programs and pharmacological aids that may be obtained with a prescription or purchased over the counter at your local drugstore. The purpose of this study was to compare differences in tobacco cessation relapse rates of military personnel at the 1-, 3-, and 6-month intervals among 4 categories of pharmacological and cognitive regimens used at an outpatient naval treatment facility. A nonprobability convenience sampling plan was used to obtain (a) 10 patient-participant Freedom From Smoking (FFS) course records that utilized Zyban and Nicotine Replacement Therapy, (b) 10 patient-participant FFS course records that utilized Zyban only, (c) 10 patient-participant FFS course records that utilized Nicotine Replacement Therapy only, and (d) 10 patient-participant FFS course records that utilized Nicotine Replacement Therapy and nicotine gum (as needed). Findings revealed no significant difference between relapse and associated pharmacological treatment program. There was, however, a moderate increased cessation effort in Program 4 (nicotine replacement patch and nicotine gum). Results also demonstrated no significant difference between demographic variables and relapse cohorts. A significant positive relation between length of smoking and packs smoked per day was revealed, however.

Published 31 January 2006 in J Community Health Nurs, 23(1): 15-28.
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