Development and preliminary pilot evaluation of a brief tablet computer intervention to motivate tobacco quitline use among smokers in substance use treatment.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The majority of individuals in substance use disorder (SUD) treatment also smoke cigarettes; yet, the availability of smoking cessation services in SUD treatment remains limited. In this study, we developed and piloted a brief intervention for smokers in SUD treatment intended to motivate engagement in tobacco quitline treatment (TIME-TQ). METHODS: First, we interviewed 19 smokers in SUD treatment to inform the development of TIME-TQ (Phase 1). Second, we delivered a prototype TIME-TQ to 16 smokers in the same SUD treatment program and followed them for 3 months post-discharge (Phase 2). RESULTS: Feedback from Phase 1 participants was used to refine response choices and video segments included in the prototype TIME-TQ. Phase 2 participants rated TIME-TQ high on relevance, interest, respectfulness, and helpfulness. Additionally, they reported significant increases in readiness to quit and perceived importance of quitting after receiving TIME-TQ. A total of 8 of the 16 accepted a quitline referral, and 8 of 13 reached for follow-up (four referral acceptors, four decliners) reported efforts to quit or reduce smoking during the follow-up period. However, only three received quitline counseling and none achieved a sustained period of abstinence. CONCLUSIONS AND SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that TIME-TQ activated these patients to quit smoking, but our referral method (standard fax referral) was unsuccessful in helping participants fully engage in quitline treatment or achieving a period of abstinence. SCIENTIFIC SIGNIFICANCE: We are now conducting an RCT to evaluate TIME-TQ with a revised referral procedure intended to increase treatment engagement and, ultimately, abstinence rates. (Am J Addict 2017;26:587-594).

Adaptation of a sustained care cessation intervention for smokers hospitalized for psychiatric disorders: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) smoke at disproportionately higher rates than those without SMI, have lifespans 25-32 years shorter, and thus bear an especially large burden of tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Several recent studies demonstrate that smokers with SMI can successfully quit smoking with adequate support. Further evidence shows that using technology to deliver sustained care interventions to hospitalized smokers can lead to smoking cessation up to 6 months after discharge. The current comparative effectiveness trial adapts a technology-assisted sustained care intervention designed for smokers admitted to a general hospital and tests whether this approach can produce higher cessation rates compared to usual care for smokers admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit. METHODS: A total of 353 eligible patients hospitalized for psychiatric illness are randomized by cohort into one of two conditions, Sustained Care (SusC) or Usual Care (UC), and are followed for six months after discharge. Participants assigned to UC receive brief tobacco education delivered by a hospital nurse during or soon after admission. Those assigned to SusC receive a 40-min, in-hospital motivational counseling intervention. Upon discharge, they also receive up to 8 weeks of free nicotine patches, automated interactive voice response (IVR) telephone and text messaging, and access to cessation counseling resources lasting 3 months post discharge. Smoking cessation outcomes are measured at 1-, 3- and 6-months post hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: Results from this comparative effectiveness trial will add to our understanding of acceptable and effective smoking cessation approaches for patients hospitalized with SMI.

Neural reward and punishment sensitivity in cigarette smokers.

BACKGROUND: Nicotine addiction remains a major public health problem but the neural substrates of addictive behavior remain unknown. One characteristic of smoking behavior is impulsive choice, selecting the immediate reward of smoking despite the potential long-term negative consequences. This suggests that drug users, including cigarette smokers, may be more sensitive to rewards and less sensitive to punishment. METHODS: We used event-related potentials (ERPs) to test the hypothesis that smokers are more responsive to reward signals and less responsive to punishment, potentially predisposing them to risky behavior. We conducted two experiments, one using a reward prediction design to elicit a Medial Frontal Negativity (MFN) and one using a reward- and punishment-motivated flanker task to elicit an Error Related Negativity (ERN), ERP components thought to index activity in the cortical projection of the dopaminergic reward system. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The smokers had a greater MFN response to unpredicted rewards, and non-smokers, but not smokers, had a larger ERN on punishment motivated trials indicating that smokers are more reward sensitive and less punishment sensitive than nonsmokers, overestimating the appetitive value and underestimating aversive outcomes of stimuli and actions.