Targeting Mailed Nicotine Patch Distribution Interventions to Rural Regions of Canada
Status:
Enrolling by invitation
Trial end date:
2022-02-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
This study will examine the impact of mailed distribution of free Nicotine Replacement
Therapy to smokers in rural regions. Telephone numbers will be randomly selected from across
Canada in order to recruit adult smokers interested in completing a smoking survey and
willing to be interviewed again in 6 months time. Study participants will be asked about
their smoking history and a hypothetical question: would they be interested in receiving the
nicotine patches if this were to be provided to them free of charge? Participants expressing
interest will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will be offered the
opportunity to actually receive a program of 5 weeks of the nicotine patch for free right
away and the other group will not be offered the free nicotine patches. The proportions of
smokers in the two groups who quit smoking by the 6-month interview will be compared.
Characteristics of the participants and the municipalities in which they live will be used to
explain why the nicotine patch intervention has a larger impact in some rural regions
compared to others
This projects seeks to determine the impact of mailed NRT intervention on increasing quit
rates in rural areas. In addition, it seeks to understand the social determinants of health
driving the large effects expected based on previous findings.