New Study Finds A&E Departments an Effective Setting for Encouraging Smoking Cessation with Vape Support

New Study Finds A&E Departments an Effective Setting for Encouraging Smoking Cessation with Vape Support

(IN BRIEF) A University of East Anglia study found that offering vapes to patients in A&E departments helped boost confidence in quitting smoking. The trial, conducted in six hospitals, showed higher quit rates among those given vape kits versus traditional advice, suggesting A&E could be a promising location for smoking cessation support.

(PRESS RELEASE) NORWICH, 9-Nov-2024 — /EuropaWire/ — New research from the University of East Anglia, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, has shown that offering vapes to patients in hospital emergency departments can encourage them to quit smoking. The study, led by Professor Caitlin Notley, explored the impact of unexpected smoking cessation support in six hospitals across England and Scotland.

Many patients reported that receiving stop-smoking assistance while waiting in A&E provided both a beneficial distraction and a confidence boost to consider vaping as an alternative to smoking. Interviews with 34 patients revealed that they felt more open to trying vaping, especially when provided by trusted hospital staff. The researchers noted that the flexibility and personal approach of the stop-smoking staff were key to the program’s effectiveness.

A previous analysis from the same trial found that 23.4% of patients given vape starter kits in A&E had quit smoking by a six-month follow-up, compared to 12.9% who received only written advice. Dr. Ian Pope, co-lead of the study, emphasized that support from hospital policies and credible information were essential in making vaping feel like a viable alternative.

The study, titled “The Context of the Emergency Department as a Location for a Smoking Cessation Intervention,” is published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research. While A&E departments are not currently distributing free vapes, the research suggests this approach could be a promising addition to smoking cessation strategies in the future.

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SOURCE: University of East Anglia