Brief Pain and Smoking Cessation Intervention in Adults With Chronic Pain

Effects of a Brief Pain and Smoking Cessation Intervention in Adults With Chronic Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial

A brief smoking cessation intervention was developed to address smoking in the context of chronic pain to increase the intention to engage in smoking cessation treatment.

The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of a brief pain and smoking (BPS) cessation intervention on the willingness to consider quitting smoking in adults with chronic pain seeking treatment in a pain specialty outpatient clinic. The investigators hypothesized that participants randomized to the BPS intervention, relative to a brief non-tailored control smoking (BCS) intervention, would be more likely to self-report willingness to consider quitting smoking. Secondary aims included examining the effects of group allocation on the (1) interest in learning about smoking cessation programs; (2) willingness to consider scheduling a smoking cessation program; (3) scheduling a smoking cessation program; and (4) change scores of the Thoughts About Abstinence Scale (TAAS).

Inclusion Criteria:

• age ≥18 years
• chronic pain of greater than 3 months duration
• smoke at least 10 cigarettes daily

Exclusion Criteria:

• cancer-related pain
• current participation in a smoking abstinence program
• current self-guided attempt to reduce or abstain from smoking
• use of other forms of tobacco including pipe, cigar or chew
• history of schizophrenia or other chronic psychotic disorder
• history of a dementing illness