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Small Financial Incentives Do Not Significantly Increase Smoking Cessation Before Surgery

Offering small financial incentives to smokers on elective surgery wait-lists did not result in clinically significant differences in smoking cessation rates before surgery. A total of 620 adult smokers were randomized, and 404 underwent surgery at the hospital. The offer of a $a70 supermarket voucher resulted in 21.9% registering to quit, increasing to 32.6% with a $a140 incentive. However, the proportion of patients who were verified to have quit at least 24 hours before surgery was similar between the intervention and control groups.

Journal Article by Webb A, Coward L (…) Leong S et 2 al. in BMJ Open

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.

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