Evaluating a population-based recruitment approach and a stage-based expert system intervention for smoking cessation

A stage-matched expert system intervention was evaluated on 4144 smokers in a two-arm randomized control trial with four follow-ups over 24 months. Sm okers were recruited by random digit-dial calls, and 80.0% of the eligible smokers were enrolled. Individualized and interactive expert system compute r reports were sent at 0, 3, and 6 months. The reports provided feedback on 15 variables relevant for progressing through the stages. The primary outc omes were point prevalence and prolonged abstinence rates. At 24 months, th e expert system resulted in 25.6% point prevalence and 12% prolonged abstin ence, which were 30% and 56% greater than the control condition. Abstinence rates at each 6-month follow-up were significantly greater in the Expert S ystem (ES) condition than in the comparison condition with the absolute dif ference increasing at each follow-up. A proactive home-based stage-matched expert system smoking cessation program can produce both high participation rates and relatively high abstinence rates. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.