Patients screened for eligibility were all the smokers who were hospitalized in the First Pulmonology Clinic of Kavala General Hospital from May 2012 to May 2014.
Patients had an initial private consultation session and motivational interview while still in the hospital. Following this interview, patients chose the smoking cessation intervention they preferred: either the standard regimen for varenicline and behavioral support or behavioral support without pharmacotherapy.
All patients quit smoking while still hospitalized.Follow-up phone calls with a minimum duration of 10 minutes were scheduled in weeks 1, 2, 4, and months 3,6 and 9 following smoking cessation.
Patients in both groups were asked to return to hospital in month 12 (week 52) for a final assessment. At this last visit, the SF36 was again completed and exhaled CO was (re) measured.
