Trial Comparing Different Methods of Support With Stopping Smoking (PORTSSS/Stop Together Trial)

• Self-reported, Prolonged Abstinence From Smoking Between a Quit Date and 6 Months Afterwards. [ Time Frame: 6 months from participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Prolonged abstinence was defined as not smoking between a quit date and six months later with minor smoking lapses permitted as long as no more than 5 cigarettes in total were smoked during this period.
  
  

• Self-reported Point Prevalence Abstinence From Smoking for at Least 7 Days, Ascertained at 6 Months, With Carbon Monoxide (CO) Validation. [ Time Frame: Measured 6 months after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  The participant had to report not smoking for at least 7 days prior to the point of outcome assessment.
  
  
• Self-reported Abstinence From Smoking for at Least Three Months, Ascertained at 6 Months [ Time Frame: Measured at 6 months after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Participants had to report not smoking in the three months prior to outcome ascertainment.
  
  
• Self-reported Prolonged Abstinence From Smoking Between a Quit Date and 1 Month [ Time Frame: Measured at 1 month after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Prolonged abstinence was defined as not smoking between a quit date and one month later; minor lapses were permitted provided no more than 5 cigarettes in total had been smoked.
  
  
• Self-reported Point Prevalence Abstinence From Smoking for at Least 7 Days, Ascertained at 1 Month [ Time Frame: Measured at 1 month after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Participants had to report not smoking for 7 or more days prior to outcome ascertainment.
  
  
• Number of Unsuccessful Quit Attempts Lasting > 24 Hrs Reported at One and 6 Months [ Time Frame: Measured 6 months after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  As title
  
  
• Health Status at 6 Months EuroQol 5D (EQ5D) [ Time Frame: Measured 6 months after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  This is a generic measure of health status used in health economic analyses.
  
  
• Use of Other NHS Smoking Cessation Interventions (e.g. Uptake of NHS Stop Smoking Services, Use of Other NRT Obtained From General Practitioner (GP) Etc.) [ Time Frame: Measured 6 months after participant's quit date ] [ Designated as safety issue: No ]
  Participants' recall of the use they have made of other stop smoking interventions that are available through the National Health Service.
  
  

There is evidence from other studies that telephone helplines are effective in helping individuals to stop smoking. This study will investigate whether or not two interventions that have been proven effective in other contexts are effective when offered via telephone helplines. The two interventions which will be tested are (1) additional proactive counselling via telephone(several calls from a trained smoking cessation advisor over a certain period) and (2) the offer of Nicotine Replacement Therapy.

This trial will determine whether or not: (1)additional (proactive) telephone support for smoking cessation delivered to users of the National Health Service (NHS)Smoking Helpline, is more effective than standard support given by the helpline, and (2) whether the offer of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy influences rates of stopping smoking in individuals receiving either standard (reactive) or proactive telephone support.

Current smokers over 16 years of age will be recruited by helpline staff with the appropriate consent. Participants will then be randomised into one of four groups:

(i) usual care delivered by the helpline (called the Together Programme) (ii) usual care plus a programme of proactive telephone counselling (iii) usual care AND the offer of Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) (iv) usual helpline support, proactive telephone counselling AND the offer of NRT.

The researchers will not be aware of which group participants have been allocated. The results will determine if the use of proactive telephone counselling is effective in helping individuals to stop smoking. It shall also find out if the offer of NRT medication via a telephone helpline assists individuals in their efforts to stop smoking.