Background: Immediate smoking cessation interventions delivered alongside targeted lung health checks (TLHC) to screen for lung cancer increase self-reported abstinence at three months. The impact on longer-term, objectively confirmed quit rates remains to established.
Methods: We followed up participants from two clinical trials in people aged 55-75 years who smoked and took part in a TLHC. These randomised participants in the TLHC by day of attendance to either usual care (signposting to smoking cessation services) or an offer of immediate smoking cessation support including pharmacotherapy. In the QuLIT1 trial this was delivered face to face, in QuLIT2 it was delivered remotely. Follow up was conducted 12 months after the TLHC by telephone interview with subsequent biochemical verification of smoking cessation using exhaled CO.
Results: 430 people were enrolled initially (115 in QuLIT1 315 in QuLIT2), with 4 deaths before 12 months leaving 426 [62.1±5.27 years old and 48% female] participants for analysis. At 12 months, those randomised to attend on smoking cessation support intervention days had higher quit rates compared to usual care adjusted for age, gender, deprivation, and which trial they had been in; self-reported 7-day point prevalence (20.0% vs 12.8%; AOR=1.78 95% CI, 1.04-2.89) and CO verified quits (12.1% vs 4.7%; AOR=2.97 95% CI, 1.38-6.90). Those in the intervention arm were also more likely to report having made a quit attempt (30.2% vs UC 18.5%; AOR 1.90 95% CI 1.15-3.15).
Conclusion: Providing immediate smoking cessation support alongside TLHC increases long term, biochemically confirmed smoking abstinence.