Automated Telephone Follow-up for Smoking Cessation in Smokers With Coronary Heart Disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Automated telephone follow-up exerts its effect by reinforcing participants' efforts to be smoke-free and by proactively linking people requiring assistance to individualized support (eg, telephone counseling). This study shows that automated telephone follow-up can assist smokers with CHD in remaining smoke-free; however, the success of automated telephone follow-up is limited to the treatment period and abstinence rates after the treatment period were not statistically different from among those receiving standard care. Extended treatment via automated telephone follow-up may provide a solution to extend cessation assistance beyond hospital discharge.