| Methods |
Setting: Community, USA
Recruitment: African‐American smokers calling the NCIS telephone counselling line in response to targeted campaign |
| Participants |
1422 African‐American smokers; 36% M, av. age not stated, 62% in 20 ‐ 39 age group, median cigs/day 20 |
| Interventions |
Reactive, for callers to quitline
1. Tailored TC and tailored 36‐page Pathways to Freedom guide. Guide used African‐American models and addressed specific obstacles. Personalised quitting plan
2. Standard NCIS TC and standard guide Clearing the Air
|
| Outcomes |
Abstinence at 6 m (7‐day PP)
Validation: none
(12‐m abstinence also assessed in sample of 445 smokers and there were significant differences; 15.0% vs 8.8% using ITT) |
| Notes |
Comparison between 2 types of counselling. Also included in Cochrane Self‐help review since effects of counselling and S‐H materials cannot be separated
Median call length 19 mins (interdecile range 10 ‐ 28 min) for tailored, 13 min (8 ‐ 23) for standard |
| Risk of bias |
| Bias |
Authors' judgement |
Support for judgement |
| Random sequence generation (selection bias) |
High risk |
Pseudo‐randomised by last digit of caller's contact phone number |
| Allocation concealment (selection bias) |
High risk |
Potential for selection bias but unlikely given low contact |
| Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
Self‐reported outcomes from participants not blinded to treatment condition, but similar levels of personal contact in different study arms |
| Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias)
All outcomes |
Low risk |
37% lost to follow‐up at 6 m. No differential dropout, losses included as smokers |
