Deliver an Evidence-based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Smokers Attending A&E Departments in Hong Kong

NCT03818360 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: UW 19-032
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,603
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project aims to deliver an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention comprising the provision of brief cessation advice to smokers attending emergency departments and active referral to existing smoking cessation services. The objectives are as follows:

1. 1.To promote this evidence-based project to emergency departments in various hospitals under the Hospital Authority
2. 2.To construct a network with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to provide smoking cessation services
3. 3.To train healthcare professionals to use the AWARD model to deliver brief cessation advice to smokers
4. 4.To deliver brief cessation advice via healthcare professionals and actively refer smokers to existing smoking cessation services.

Conditions

Smoking; Smoking Cessation; Evidence-Based Nursing; Emergency Service, Hospital

Keywords

Smoking cessation intervention; Evidence-based; Brief advice; Active referrals; Emergency departments

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Biochemically validated abstinence of smokers at the 6-month follow-up

  The self-reported quitters at the 6-month follow-up will be invited to participate in a biochemical validation (measurement of exhaled \[CO\] and salivary cotinine level). The criteria for validated abstinence are an exhaled CO level of less than 4 ppm and a saliva cotinine level of less than 10 ng/ml.

  at the 6-month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (5)

• Biochemically validated abstinence of smokers at the 12-month follow-up

  at the 12-month follow-up

• Self-reported 7-day point prevalence of abstinence at the 6-month follow-up

  at the 6-month follow-up

• Self-reported 7-day point prevalence of abstinence at the 12-month follow-up

  at the 12-month follow-up

• Self-reported reduction of ≥ 50% in cigarette consumption at the 6-month follow-up

  at the 6-month follow-up

• Self-reported reduction of ≥ 50% in cigarette consumption at the 12-month follow-up

  at the 12-month follow-up

Other Outcomes (28)

• Number of emergency departments participated at the end of recruitment

  at 10 months

• Knowledge of the risk of smoking in trained healthcare professionals before the training workshops

  baseline

• Knowledge of the risk of smoking in trained healthcare professionals at the end of the training workshops

  up to 1 week

Study Arms (1)

Smokers attending A&E

EXPERIMENTAL

Receive an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention comprising brief advice plus active referrals for smokers attending emergency departments in Hong Kong.

Behavioral: an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention comprising brief advice plus active referrals

Interventions

an evidence-based smoking cessation intervention comprising brief advice plus active referrals BEHAVIORAL

The trained healthcare professionals will be encouraged to deliver brief smoking cessation advice based on the AWARD model to smokers who attend emergency departments and are triaged as semi-urgent or non-urgent. The trained healthcare professionals will ask the smokers their smoking history, then deliver the warning message to the smokers. If the smokers refuse to quit immediately, the trained healthcare professionals will advise them to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked per day, with the goal of complete cessation within 6 months. The healthcare professionals will then actively refer smokers to the chosen service provider within 1 week of recruitment. Smokers will receive proactive telephone calls from the service providers, receive a leaflet about the health-related hazards of smoking and benefits of quitting, and a pocket-sized information card containing brief information about the existing smoking cessation services in Hong Kong.

Smokers attending A&E

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

* Healthcare professionals employed in the emergency departments of various hospitals under the Hospital Authority * Smokers attending emergency departments who are triaged as semi-urgent (level 4) or non-urgent (level 5)

Contact the study team to discuss eligibility requirements. They can help determine if this study is right for you.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of Hong Kong: lead
• Chinese University of Hong Kong: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Li HCW, Xia W, Li L, Chen H, Ho LLK, Cheung KY, Xiao S, Chan YC, Chung OKJ. Evidence-based brief cessation advice plus active referral for emergency department patients who smoke: a single-arm, real-world clinical trial. BMC Med. 2025 Nov 27;23(1):714. doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-04534-9.

  PMID: 41310683 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Smoking; Smoking Cessation; Emergencies

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior; Health Behavior; Disease Attributes; Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Study Officials

• Ho Cheung William Li, PhD

  Chinese University of Hong Kong

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 23, 2019
• First Posted: January 28, 2019
• Study Start: August 13, 2019
• Primary Completion: February 28, 2023
• Study Completion: February 28, 2023
• Last Updated: August 3, 2023

Record last verified: 2023-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Time Frame: After the project is completed and the results of the project has been published.
• Access Criteria: Request could be sent to Principal Investigator

Locations

HK (1)