Brief Pain and Smoking Cessation Intervention in Adults With Chronic Pain

The primary aim of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effects of a brief pain and smoking (BPS) cessation intervention on the willingness to consider quitting smoking in adults with chronic pain seeking treatment in a pain specialty outpatient clinic. The investigators hypothesized that participants randomized to the BPS intervention, relative to a brief non-tailored control smoking (BCS) intervention, would be more likely to self-report willingness to consider quitting smoking. Secondary aims included examining the effects of group allocation on the (1) interest in learning about smoking cessation programs; (2) willingness to consider scheduling a smoking cessation program; (3) scheduling a smoking cessation program; and (4) change scores of the Thoughts About Abstinence Scale (TAAS).

Inclusion criteria

• age ≥18 years
• chronic pain of greater than 3 months duration
• smoke at least 10 cigarettes daily

Exclusion criteria

• cancer-related pain
• current participation in a smoking abstinence program
• current self-guided attempt to reduce or abstain from smoking
• use of other forms of tobacco including pipe, cigar or chew
• history of schizophrenia or other chronic psychotic disorder
• history of a dementing illness