Effectiveness of a Pharmacist-Based Smoking-Cessation Program and Its Impact on Quality of Life

Alan J. Zillich, Pharm.D., Melody Ryan, Pharm.D., Aimee Adams, Pharm.D., Bryan Yeager, Pharm.D., Karen Farris, Ph.D.

Pharmacotherapy. 2002;22(6)

Conclusion

This study provides information regarding the effectiveness of a pharmacist-based smoking-cessation program on abstinence rates. The 6-month rates were modest. Our results suggest that pharmacists can effectively influence smoking-cessation with behavior modification and counseling. Even with our limited data, we showed improvements in vitality, mental health, and self-control. Additional research is necessary to examine the full impact of smoking cessation on SCQOL.

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Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the University of Kentucky Health Connection for their help in recruiting patients; and the support of Dr. Thomas Cooper, Mr. Darwin Allen, and the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center Human Resources Department. We thank Dr. Stephen Joel Coons for providing the quality of life instrument. Finally, we acknowledge continued support of the University of Kentucky Wellness Department.

Funding information

Start-up funds were provided by the University of Kentucky Medical Center Human Resources Department. An unrestricted educational grant and exhaled carbon monoxide equipment were provided by GlaxoSmithKline.

Reprint Address

Alan J. Zillich, Pharm.D., University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, PHAR S-411, Iowa City, IA 52241; e-mail: alan-zillich@uiowa.edu.

References

Table 1. Baseline Patient Characteristics (N=31)
Characteristic	Value
Age (yrs)^a	41.2 ± 10.5
Women (%)	65
Caucasian (%)	94
Education (%)
≤ High school	3
Some college	36
≥ College degree	61
Cigarettes smoked/day (no.)^a	25.5 ± 10.4
Age began smoking (yrs)^a	16.5 ± 3.7
Previous quit attempts (no.)^a	3.2 ± 2.0
Fagerstrom score^{a, b}	6.1 ± 1.9
Previous nicotine patch use (%)	61
Previous nicotine gum use (%)	29

^aData are mean ± SD.
^bDependence on nicotine score from 0-10, where a higher score represents greater dependence. Scores of 6 or higher represent a high level of dependence.

Table 2. Mean (± SD) Smoking-Cessation Quality of Life Scores
Domain	Baseline (n=23)	2 Weeks (n=20)	1 Month (n=20)	2 Months (n=17)	3 Months (n=11)	6 Months (n=6)
Physical function	69.57 (22.20)	72.50 (26.18)	75.00 (24.44)	75.59 (24.04)	83.64 (19.00)	72.5 (25.64)
Role physical	79.34 (30.76)	80.00 (28.80)	77.50 (30.24)	76.47 (36.94)	77.72 (39.45)	66.67 (43.77)
Bodily pain	77.17 (18.10)	70.00 (26.60)	68.82 (25.82)	73.76 (23.67)	76.10 (25.73)	70.50 (32.92)
General health	51.82 (18.50)	55.75 (20.46)	62.85 (18.20)	66.35 (15.39)	67.09 (20.42)	56.67 (18.24)
Vitality^a	40.65 (18.85)	41.5 (25.65)	46.00 (20.81)	52.64 (19.29)	60.45 (22.74)^{b, c}	56.67 (18.24)
Social function	86.41 (17.23)	71.88 (29.77)	81.25 (23.12)	83.83 (26.80)	82.95 (28.10)	85.42 (30.02)
Role emotional	84.06 (33.14)	66.67 (40.46)	78.33 (36.31)	82.35 (39.29)	78.79 (40.20)	83.34 (40.82)
Mental health^a	66.43 (18.75)	54.00 (20.83)	64.60 (19.82)	73.18 (14.34)^d	70.18 (16.43)^c	74.00 (16.15)
Social interaction	44.02 (9.13)	41.25 (12.23)	46.88 (7.99)	45.59 (7.58)	47.72 (9.38)	47.92 (9.41)
Self-control^a	42.61 (15.36)	48.00 (19.70)	55.25 (18.10)	60.00 (16.68)^e	65.00 (12.93)^{b, c}	64.17 (10.68)
Sleep	68.84 (15.32)	61.67 (17.40)	62.92 (12.23)	62.25 (12.88)	69.70 (17.19)	69.44 (16.38)
Cognitive function	71.38 (18.60)	58.75 (26.42)	65.42 (24.67)	65.67 (21.02)	72.73 (23.89)	70.83 (25.68)
Anxiety	63.04 (21.80)	53.75 (21.88)	58.13 (23.04)	63.97 (16.47)	76.14 (21.98)	66.67 (27.00)

^aRepeated measures ANOVA p<0.05 for changes from baseline through 3 months.
^bTukey's p≤0.05 for change between baseline and 3 months.
^cTukey's p<0.05 for change between 2 weeks and 3 months.
^dTukey's p<0.01 for change between 2 weeks and 2 months.
^eTukey's p≤0.05 for change between baseline and 2 months.

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