Thursday, 18 April 2024
A new study has found that by offering stop smoking support as part of the national lung cancer screening programme, there is potential to save lives, and dedicated funding must be considered by policy makers.
The results of the study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, showed that offering stop smoking support at the same time and in the same place as lung screening, resulted in a high uptake of support across a range of demographic characteristics.
This has the potential to reduce smoking-related illness and death in a high-risk group of the population and experts are urging policy makers to consider dedicated funding for stop smoking support urgently.
89% accepted the offer, and 75% chose to accept ongoing weekly support. Men were less likely to engage with support, whereas those who were more dependent on nicotine were more motivated to stop smoking, and were more confident in their ability to stop smoking successfully, and were subsequently more likely to take up the offer of support.
Uptake of support was the same across other characteristics including age, ethnicity, deprivation or level of education.
Overall, 323 people reported not smoking at four weeks (15% of all those attending screening who were eligible to receive stop smoking support); 266 of these provided a breath sample that showed they had stopped smoking. Men were more likely to stop smoking, along with those who were more motivated to stop and had attempted to stop smoking in the past. Those who smoked more cigarettes per day were less likely to successfully stop smoking.
The high uptake of smoking cessation support and promising quit rates reported across a range of participant demographics indicates that adding stop smoking support as an integrated part of the national lung cancer screening programme has the potential to reduce all-cause smoking related morbidity and mortality. Protected, dedicated funding must be considered by policy makers in order to ensure the national screening programme realises its’ full potential.”
Dr Stuart Griffiths, Director of Research at Yorkshire Cancer Research said: “The evidence is clear that lives can be saved by offering people the chance to quit smoking with specialist support while they are on a lung health check unit.
“This opportunistic moment to help people significantly improve their health and reduce their risk of cancer and other serious diseases should not be ignored. It is vital that funding is directed to provide this essential support.”
The full study can be found here.
Story credits
More information is available from Professor Rachael Murray in the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham at Rachael.murray@nottingham.ac.uk
Notes to editors:
About the University of Nottingham
Ranked 32 in Europe and 16th in the UK by the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2024, the University of Nottingham is a founding member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities. Studying at the University of Nottingham is a life-changing experience, and we pride ourselves on unlocking the potential of our students. We have a pioneering spirit, expressed in the vision of our founder Sir Jesse Boot, which has seen us lead the way in establishing campuses in China and Malaysia - part of a globally connected network of education, research and industrial engagement.
Nottingham was crowned Sports University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 – the third time it has been given the honour since 2018 – and by the Daily Mail University Guide 2024.
The university is among the best universities in the UK for the strength of our research, positioned seventh for research power in the UK according to REF 2021. The birthplace of discoveries such as MRI and ibuprofen, our innovations transform lives and tackle global problems such as sustainable food supplies, ending modern slavery, developing greener transport, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.
The university is a major employer and industry partner - locally and globally - and our graduates are the second most targeted by the UK's top employers, according to The Graduate Market in 2022 report by High Fliers Research.
We lead the Universities for Nottingham initiative, in partnership with Nottingham Trent University, a pioneering collaboration between the city’s two world-class institutions to improve levels of prosperity, opportunity, sustainability, health and wellbeing for residents in the city and region we are proud to call home.
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