Giving out vapes in A&E can boost patients’ confidence to transition away from smoking, research has revealed.

A study from the University of East Anglia (UEA), funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, looked at how well a smoking cessation programme worked when offered to people unexpectedly in emergency departments.

Titled ‘The context of the emergency department as a location for a smoking cessation intervention – process evaluation findings from the COSTED trial’, the research has been published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research.

Caitlin Notley, lead author and a professor at UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said, “Hospital emergency departments provide an excellent opportunity to help people quit smoking, but there might be concerns about whether it's the right place for such interventions.

“We discovered that most people enrolled in our trial found it beneficial to receive brief help to quit smoking while in A&E. Many knew they probably had a long time until they would be seen and were amenable to speak to stop smoking staff while they waited.

“Our research suggests that A&E departments are an opportune location to support smoking cessation to improve long-term health.”

A qualitative study

Researchers conducted interviews with both patients and staff in six hospitals involved in the trial and observed what happened in the emergency department to understand the context.

In interviews with 34 patients, most found it acceptable to receive brief help to quit smoking while in A&E.

Ian Pope, co-lead of the study and an emergency physician, said, “Several factors influenced how well this worked. On a personal level, patients’ attitudes and the staff's ability to adjust the approach based on individual needs were important.

“For example, providing vape starter kits from a trusted source made vaping feel like a legitimate alternative, boosting patients' confidence to quit smoking.

“On a broader level, hospital policies that supported vaping made the programme more credible and acceptable.”

A female participant said, “I was really unsure about the vape until I was in hospital. When they suggested it, I thought great, maybe it’s not as bad as everyone was suggesting it was. If someone in hospital is offering to put you on that, it’s got to be better than smoking.”

Smoking cessation staff said many participants saw it as a way to pass the time, and some patients even said it was a welcome distraction from the discomfort or pain they were experiencing while they waiting to be seen.

The researchers found that the staff (11 stop smoking advisors) had to be flexible in how they delivered the programme, depending on the space and urgency of the emergency department.

Previous research linked to the wider trial found that of the people who were given free e-cigarette starter packs in A&E, almost one in four (23.4 per cent) reported to have quit smoking at a six-month follow up.

This was compared to 12.9 per cent of the people who were given ‘usual care’ - written information about locally available stop smoking services.

For more information visit https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/quit-smoking/

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