Review: self help interventions alone minimally increase smoking cessation rates
Question How effective are self help smoking cessation interventions?
Data sources
Studies were identified by searching the Tobacco Addiction Review Group Register (which includes studies identified from Medline, PsycLIT, Dissertation Abstracts Online, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Social Citations Index, and Social Science Citations Index) using the terms self help, manual, and booklet; and bibliographies of previous reviews.
Study selection
Randomised or quasi-randomised controlled trials were selected if they had ≥6 months follow up and if ≥1 treatment arm involved a self help intervention without repeated face to face contact with a therapist. Self help interventions had to involve a structured programme for quitting. Studies of pregnant women were excluded.
Data extraction
Data were extracted on the study population, method of randomisation, type of intervention, follow up, and validation of self reported cessation.
Main results
Meta-analysis of 10 trials of self help compared …
