Maximizing the motivational impact of feedback of lung cancer susceptibility on smokers' desire to quit

This two-by-two factorially designed study evaluate approaches for communic ating feedback of lung cancer susceptibility to smokers as a method for mot ivating smoking cessation. The study factors were : method of communicating feedback (by mail with telephone follow-up or in-person) and carbon monoxi de feedback (yes or no). One-hundred-forty-four smokers were stratified on race and randomized to one of four conditions. Participants were surveyed a t baseline and 2-month follow-up. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing f or the absence of the glutathione S transferase mu (GSTM1) gene was the sus ceptibility marker. Regardless of counseling method or carbon monoxide (CO) feedback, the majority (90%) of smokers accurately recalled the test resul t and 66% accurately interpreted the meaning of the test result. Smokers wh o received their result in person were significantly less likely to have re ad the result booklet than those in the telephone counseling group (OR =.28 , 95%; CI .12-.62; p<. 05). Neither counseling method nor CO feed back incr eased smokers' perceived risks for lung cancer. However, at the counseling session those who received in-person counseling were significantly less fri ghtened by the test result than those who received telephone counseling (OR =.42, 95 %; CI.20 E86; p,. 05) and at t he 2- month follow-up those who re ceived a CO test were significantly less frightened by their susceptibility result (OR =.40, 95%; CI.17-.92; p<.05) than those who did not have a CO t est. Evaluation of further refinements in communicating the meaning of susc eptibility results to motivate smoking cessation is warranted.