Targeting Mailed Nicotine Patch Distribution Interventions to Rural Regions of Canada

Summary

This study will examine the impact of mailed distribution of free Nicotine Replacement Therapy to smokers in rural regions. Telephone numbers will be randomly selected from across Canada in order to recruit adult smokers interested in completing a smoking survey and willing to be interviewed again in 6 months time. Study participants will be asked about their smoking history and a hypothetical question: would they be interested in receiving the nicotine patches if this were to be provided to them free of charge? Participants expressing interest will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will be offered the opportunity to actually receive a program of 5 weeks of the nicotine patch for free right away and the other group will not be offered the free nicotine patches. The proportions of smokers in the two groups who quit smoking by the 6-month interview will be compared. Characteristics of the participants and the municipalities in which they live will be used to explain why the nicotine patch intervention has a larger impact in some rural regions compared to others This projects seeks to determine the impact of mailed NRT intervention on increasing quit rates in rural areas. In addition, it seeks to understand the social determinants of health driving the large effects expected based on previous findings.

Timeline

Start

2020-11-23

Primary completion

2022-02-16

Completion

2022-10-14

Publications

• Cunningham JA, Chaiton M, Leatherdale ST, Godinho A, Schell C. Effect of Postal-Mailed Nicotine Patches on Tobacco Cessation Among Smokers in Rural Canada: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Jul 3;6(7):e2325206. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.25206.
• Cunningham JA, Chaiton M, Leatherdale ST, Godinho A, Schell C. Targeting mailed nicotine patch distribution interventions to rural regions of Canada: protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC Public Health. 2020 Nov 23;20(1):1757. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-09810-2.

Drugs

Indications