A new Cochrane Review has been published on advice from doctors to help people quit smoking:
Cochrane article on doctors advice to quit smoking

We know that healthcare professionals often advise patients to quit smoking. The advice can be brief or part of a more intensive intervention such as quit smoking programs. A recent Cochrane Review has looked at this in detail particularly looking at advice from physicians on quitting smoking compared to other interventions.

They assessed randomised trials of smoking cessation advice from doctors, and assessed quitting at least six months or more after that. They identified 41 trials which were worth including and included over 31,000 smokers. The settings included general practice, hospitals and occupational health practices.

They found significant benefits from advice to quit smoking. Even for brief advice there was a 66% improvement in quitting. Where the more intensive advice was given they found 84% improvements in quit rates. There was an advantage in giving more intensive advice. The advantage was relatively small. This confirms our impression in our own wellness and quit smoking programs that advice from doctors is effective in getting people to quit smoking and the advice need not necessarily be intensive to be effective, but it does give it some greater benefit in the long term outcome.

For more information go to this link or call us on 02 98977699.
QOH Quit Smoking and Wellness information