Tobacco Cessation for Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Tobacco Use Cessation; Post Traumatic Stress Disorders

Treatments: Behavioral: Motivation Interviewing Counseling

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other U.S. Federal agency

Identifiers

NCT00908882

NRI 08-117

COMIRB 08-0556 (Other Identifier)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to improve the effectiveness of tobacco cessation treatment for veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) through ongoing, integrated care management approach using telehealth and motivational interviewing counseling. Both tobacco dependence and PTSD represent enormous challenges to the Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system.

Full description

Background: Veterans smoke at a higher rate (30%) than the U.S. adult population (21%), and veterans with PTSD have even higher rates of smoking (53-66%). Evidence has shown that any tobacco dependence treatment strategy must be integrated in the health care system because consistent and effective delivery of tobacco cessation requires coordinated interventions. Persistent tobacco users typically cycle through multiple periods of relapse and remission. Veterans with PTSD (279,256 in 2005) who are treated for smoking cessation may need more comprehensive aid to be successful. Failure to appreciate the chronic nature of tobacco dependence may impede comprehensive and consistent treatment. Care management using telehealth has been shown to improve access to care while reducing costs for veterans with chronic diseases and has the potential to coordinate smoking cessation with care for other chronic diseases. Nurses have successfully managed chronic diseases using telehealth by focusing on increasing self-management, positive behaviors and knowledge. Nurses are vital to increasing the level of support in the community through education and motivation and by responding to medical events in order to improve veterans' health.

Objectives: The study is designed to determine if adding motivational counseling and care management using the PTSD Health Buddy to usual care improves smoking quit rates of veterans with PTSD. Specific Aims are to compare: 1) self-reported quit attempts, progression through the stages of change, and quit rates, 2) patient perception of care coordination, and 3) changes in PTSD symptoms in veteran smokers with PTSD who receive a nurse-driven telephonic motivational counseling intervention triggered by responses to stage-based smoking cessation questions in addition to usual care to those who receive usual care only.

Enrollment: 178 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV criteria (DSM-IV) for diagnosis code 309.81 PTSD
• Willingness to participate
• Currently smoking 1 or more cigarettes per day

Exclusion criteria

• Use smokeless tobacco, pipes or cigars instead of cigarettes
• Have imminent risk of suicide or violence
• Have severe psychiatric symptoms or psychosocial instability likely to prevent participation in protocol (provider will assess appropriateness)
• Have clinically apparent gross cognitive impairment
• Unable to connect Health Buddy in home

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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178 participants in 2 patient groups

Enhanced PTSD Health Buddy and Motivational Interviewing

Experimental group

Description:

Veterans with PTSD who smoke are exposed to an intervention which included a 90-day smoking cessation curriculum that is integrated into the PTSD Health Buddy Program and weekly motivational interviewing counseling by a nurse plus usual smoking cessation care

Treatment:

Behavioral: Motivation Interviewing Counseling

Usual PTSD Health Buddy Care

No Intervention group

Description:

Veteran with PTSD who smoke randomly assigned to this arm received standard of care for smoking cessation and used the standard PTSD Health Buddy