A brief motivational interview for smoking cessation by Belgian community pharmacists

Background: Community pharmacy-delivered interventions for smoking cessation are effective. The impact of behavioural interventions on short-term health benefits remains unclear. Objective: We aimed to evaluate a community pharmacy-delivered motivational interview for smoking cessation with characterization of the population that can be reached and assessment of the association between the motivation to quit smoking and short-term health benefits. Method: Demographics of smokers approached during a Flemish community pharmacy-delivered encouragement for smoking cessation in the months May-June 2021, their motivation to quit and dispensing records were retrieved from the pharmacy database. The use of pharmacotherapeutic smoking cessation aids and inhalers, cough medicines, antibiotics and oral corticosteroids (proxies for short-term health benefits) was evaluated 90 and 180 days after the interview. Data were analysed using the Mann-Whitney U test, chi(2) test and binary logistic regression analysis. Results: Community pharmacists provided a brief motivational interview to a broad population (n=300), including young persons and persons without chronic medication use. Two out of three were motivated to quit (67.7%) and a third (33.0%) purchased a smoking cessation aid on the index date (36.7% after 90 and 39.3% after 180 days). Smokers motivated to quit and purchasing a smoking cessation aid on the index date, had a significantly lower use of cough (OR = 0.37; p = 0.032) and inhaler medication (OR = 0.37; p = 0.009) after 90 days than those not motivated to quit. Effects were less pronounced after 180 days but still statistically significant for lower inhaler use (OR = 0.46; p = 0.031). Conclusion: By implementing a brief pharmaceutical counselling for smoking cessation in Belgian community pharmacies, a broad range of smokers can be reached, motivated to quit and triggered to start smoking cessation aids. A motivation to quit is associated with suggestive short-term health benefits.