SmokeStopTherapy (SST) (RST, in Dutch), which offers psychosocial and pharmacological support, is in fact a combination of elements from those existing therapies. A treatment consists of individual meetings, group meetings and assistance by telephone, combined with medication. The success rate of 22 percent is high, but the therapy is intensive, making it more expensive than regular care.
For a year the former PhD student tracked two groups of COPD patients: people with a chronically obstructive pulmonary disease. One of the groups underwent the regular LMIS program (minimal intervention strategy for lung patients), the other the SST
Christenhusz: `For each group, we calculated the average health costs per patients, like hospital costs, emergency room costs and medicine costs. It showed that the average SST patient, despite the more expensive therapy, cost fourteen euros less.' The reason, according to the new PhD, is the higher success rate (22 instead of thirteen percent) and because of that a reduced number of hospitalizations and exacerbations (acute aggravation of the complaints) with SST patients.
Christenhusz's ideal scenario is that in the future patients will get the therapy that best fits them, based on a questionnaire. `LMIS is best suited for people with a positive attitude, people who really support the cessation attempt. You have to be very motivated. SST is a more intensive approach, but it's appropriate for everyone.' An added positive effect of this separation: filtering out the insufficiently motivated smokers will increase the success rate of LMIS and improve its cost effectiveness.
Christenhusz defended her thesis last week. In a couple of years, she plans to re-examine the group of patients that she worked with to study the long term effects of her therapy. She has already submitted a grant proposal for research on the possibilities for patients who cannot or do not want to stop smoking completely to at least reduce their smoking habits. `Reduction increases the chances of someone attempting to quit smoking in the future, at least in the general population. Doing nothing does not work at all. When you get smokers to reduce their habits, you keep them alert.'
Trans. Jeroen Latour
Candidates for SST?
