• B Sanz-Pozo, J de Miguel-Díez, M Anegon-Blanco, M García-Carballo, E Gómez-Suárez, and J F Fernández-Domínguez.
• Medicina Familiar y Comunitaria, Centro de Salud El Greco, Getafe, Madrid, Spain. bsanzpozo@hotmail.com
• Aten Primaria. 2006 Mar 31; 37 (5): 266-72.

ObjectiveTo determine the effectiveness of a systematic intensive tobacco counselling programme conducted by nursing professionals.DesignRandomised clinical trial with control.SettingPrimary care nursing and medical consultations.ParticipantsSmokers requesting help in our centre's medical clinics during the recruitment period, up to the sample size required (125). Inclusion criteria were: aged between 18 and 70, people who smoked during the preceding month any number of cigarettes a day, and a score over 7 on the Richmond test.InterventionsThe patients recruited were randomised, according to the clinic from which they came, to the group that received brief counselling from the doctor (control group) or to the group that received brief counselling plus nursing follow-up (intervention group). Follow-up visits were programmed in this latter group for up to 3 months after giving up smoking.Main MeasurementsAbstinence at 12 and 24 months.ResultsThe effectiveness of the intervention considered as the rate of abstinence at 12 months was 13.8% (95% CI, 6.5-24.7) in the control group and 6.7% (95% CI, 1.8-16.2) in the intervention group, with no significant differences between the two.ConclusionsIn smokers seen in primary care, the effectiveness of a programme of intensive tobacco counselling by nursing staff is no more effective than the doctor's brief, one-off counselling. Brief counselling has a better cost-effectiveness relationship than intensive counselling.

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