Effect of a GP desktop resource on smoking cessation activities of general practitioners

Objectives To evaluate an intervention aimed at increasing the quantity and quality of brief opportunistic general practitioner (GP) advice to smokers encouraging and supporting quit attempts. Design Randomized controlled trial with two groups: (1) control and (2) GP desktop resource (GDR). Smoking cessation activities of GPs were assessed by an independent postal survey 1 month after distribution of resource. Subjects and setting One hundred and seven GPs in West Dorset. Main outcome measures GPs’ self‐reported rates of advising and counselling smokers on cessation over the previous week. Results The rate of opportunistic advice per week in the GDR group was 4.9 (SD = 4.1), compared with 2.8 (SD = 1.8) in the control group, F = 8.2, p = 0.0025, one‐tailed. The rate of giving counselling was also higher 2.2 (SD = 3.2) in the intervention group versus 1.0 (SD = 1.4) in the control group, F = 4.0, p = 0.025, one‐tailed. The proportion who had recommended or prescribed NRT was greater, although not significantly (54% versus 46%, Fisher’s exact p = 0.1, one‐tailed). Conclusions The findings indicate that the GDR can increase the rate of delivery of opportunistic advice and provision of counselling. Given the importance of this activity, a larger trial appears to be warranted to examine the long‐term effect and the effect on cessation rates in patients.