Recorded presentation

Cheryl Hawk, DC, PhD, Parker Research Institute, 2500 Walnut Hill Lane, Dallas, TX 75229, Anjum Odhwani, MD, MPH, Research Institute, Parker college of chiropractic, 2500 Walnut Hill, Dallas, TX 75229, Ken Thomas, DC, Center for clinics, Parker college of chiropractic, 2500 Walnut Hill, Dallas, TX 75229, and Lisa Killinger, DC, Palmer College of Chiropractic, 741 Brady Street, Davenport, IA 52803, 563-884-5150, lisa.killinger@palmer.edu.

Tobacco use continues to be the single largest cause of preventable illness and death in the United States. Smoking cessation is the most important patient counseling topic because of its potential for patient benefit. The objective of this pilot study is to develop a protocol to combine chiropractic care with standardized counseling and self-help materials already documented to be effective for smoking cessation. The study is being conducted in a chiropractic college teaching clinic, and has been approved by the college’s Institutional Review Board. The five major steps to intervention in the primary care setting, the "5 A's" (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange), which are designed to be used with the smoker who is willing to quit, will be employed, using a standardized protocol and materials. Any smokers aged 18 or older who volunteer are eligible; for this pilot study, we estimate a sample size of 20. Patients will receive usual and customary chiropractic care in conjunction with each counseling session, with a total of six office visits: baseline, quit date, and 1, 4, 8 and 12 weeks from their quit date. Determination of cessation will be by patient self-report. The study will be completed by June 2004. Results will be used to develop a standardized protocol for smoking cessation appropriate for use in chiropractic offices and to gather preliminary information toward the design of a larger study to examine the effectiveness of the protocol in assisting smokers to quit.

Learning Objectives:

• Identify the components of a standardized smoking cessation treatment.
  • Be aware of a possible role for chiropractors in assisting smokers to quit.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Tobacco

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation