Abstract
Objective: This study examined differences in perception of risk, hospitalization quit rates, and 6-month quit rates between pipe smokers, cigarettes smokers, and those who smoke both in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Methods: Before implementing the Tobacco Tactics intervention (among 811 smokers), smoking quit rates were determined (among N = 465 patients with 6-month follow-up data available) in three Midwestern hospitals during 2006-2010.
Results: Pipe smokers were less likely to believe that they needed to quit tobacco, that quitting would be difficult, and that quitting tobacco was important to their health. Eighty-five percent of pipe smokers remained tobacco free throughout their hospital stay compared with 59% of dual smokers and 60% of cigarette smokers (p < .10). Twenty-three percent of pipe smokers remained tobacco free at 6 months compared with 19% of dual users and 7% of cigarette smokers (p < .10).
Conclusion: Although pipe smokers had higher spontaneous quit rates than dual smokers and cigarette smokers, the perception of the risk of smoking was less among pipe smokers suggesting a need to expel the myths surrounding pipe smoking and increase cessation efforts.