Peer Supports for Tobacco Cessation for Adults with Serious Mental Illness: A Review of the Literature

Effectiveness of Peer-Support Interventions for Smoking Cessation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

Peer support has been recommended to promote smoking cessation, but results from prior meta-analyses have not established its efficacy. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess current evidence and identify potential modifiers of efficacy.

METHODS

Randomized controlled trials of peer-support interventions with a smoking cessation outcome were identified in January 2022 from PubMed and references listed in identified studies. The meta-analysis outcome measure was mean risk ratio (RR, 95% confidence interval [CI]) for abstinence at the longest follow-up timepoint between 3 and 9 months from baseline. Potential modifiers tested were peer smoking status (former, current, or unknown), follow-up timepoint, abstinence measure, and cumulative engagement time between peers and smokers ("dose"). Studies were assessed for risk of bias and certainty of evidence.

RESULTS

We identified 16 trials, which varied in abstinence effect size (RR 0.61-3.07), sample size (23-2121), dose (41-207 minutes), and follow-up timepoint (<1-15 months). Across 15 trials with follow-up between 3 and 9 months (N = 8573 participants; 4565 intervention, 4008 control), the pooled Mantel-Haenszel RR was 1.34 (95% CI: 1.11-1.62). Effect sizes were greatest among interventions with formerly smoking peers (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.17-1.74; five trials). We found positive effects for follow-up timepoints ≥3 months but no effect of intervention dose. The overall quality of evidence was deemed "very low."

CONCLUSIONS

Peer-support interventions increased smoking abstinence. There remains a lack of consensus about how to define a peer. Intervention features such as peer smoking status appear to have explanatory power. Additional high-quality and more comparable trials are needed.

IMPLICATIONS

This study reviewed the latest evidence from randomized controlled trials and found that peer-support interventions enhance smoking cessation. Efficacy varies with key intervention features such as peer smoking status and follow-up timepoint, which may be used to facilitate development of more effective peer-support interventions. Future trials and reviews would benefit from careful consideration and clear reporting of peer smoking status, length of follow-up, abstinence measures, and intervention dose.

A smoking cessation intervention for people with severe mental illness treated in ambulatory mental health care (KISMET): study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Smoking among people with severe mental illness (SMI) is highly prevalent and strongly associated with poor physical health. Currently, evidence-based smoking cessation interventions are scarce and need to be integrated into current mental health care treatment guidelines and clinical practice. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of a smoking cessation intervention in comparison with usual care in people with SMI treated by Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams in the Netherlands.

METHODS

A pragmatic, cluster-randomised controlled trial with embedded process evaluation will be conducted. Randomisation will be performed at the level of FACT teams, which will be assigned to the KISMET intervention or a control group (care as usual). The intervention will include pharmacological treatment combined with behavioural counselling and peer support provided by trained mental health care professionals. The intervention was developed using a Delphi study, through which a consensus was reached on the core elements of the intervention. We aim to include a total of 318 people with SMI (aged 18-65 years) who smoke and desire to quit smoking. The primary outcome is smoking status, as verified by carbon monoxide measurements and self-report. The secondary outcomes are depression and anxiety, psychotic symptoms, physical fitness, cardiovascular risks, substance use, quality of life, and health-related self-efficacy at 12 months. Alongside the trial, a qualitative process evaluation will be conducted to evaluate the barriers to and facilitators of its implementation as well as the satisfaction and experiences of both patients and mental health care professionals.

DISCUSSION

The results of the KISMET trial will contribute to the evidence gap of effective smoking cessation interventions for people treated by FACT teams. Moreover, insights will be obtained regarding the implementation process of the intervention in current mental health care. The outcomes should advance the understanding of the interdependence of physical and mental health and the gradual integration of both within the mental health care system.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Netherlands Trial Register, NTR9783. Registered on 18 October 2021.

A pilot study of wellness coaching for smoking cessation among individuals with mental illnesses

BACKGROUND

Smoking continues to be a major health concern among persons with mental illnesses.

AIMS

This pilot study compared smoking outcomes between wellness-coaching for smoking cessation and a control group.

METHODS

Thirty-one individuals were enrolled in an educational group on smoking cessation and 23 completed an eight-session manualized education. Following this educational group, 11 of 23 participants were randomly assigned to wellness coaching for four months and 12 to a control condition. ANCOVAs were used to compare group differences in smoking outcomes.

RESULTS

Fagerström Nicotine Dependence Index (FTND) score of the participants who received the wellness coaching intervention decreased significantly as compared to the control group, indicating a lower level of nicotine dependence. The outcomes of average number of cigarettes smoked daily and breath carbon monoxide level showed tendencies towards reductions for wellness coaching, although not statistically significant compared to the control condition.

CONCLUSIONS

Suggestions are shared about the feasibility of wellness coaching as well as barriers and challenges learned in implementing such an intervention to assist individuals with mental illnesses in quitting or reducing smoking.

Peer mentoring for smoking cessation in public housing: A mixed-methods study

Introduction

Tobacco use disproportionately affects low-income African American communities. The recent public housing smoke-free policy has increased the demand for effective smoking cessation services and programs in such settings.

Methods

This mixed-method pilot study explored feasibility and potential impact of a peer-mentoring program for smoking cessation in a public housing unit. The quantitative study used a quasi-experimental design while qualitative data were collected via focus group discussions with peer mentors and participants. Three residents of the public housing complex were trained as peer mentors. Each peer mentor recruited up to 10 smokers in the residence and provided them individual support for 12 weeks. All participants were offered Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT). A follow-up investigation was conducted 3 months after completion of the 12-week intervention. At baseline and follow-up, the participants' smoking status was measured using self-report and was verified using exhaled carbon monoxide (eCO) monitoring.

Results

The intervention group was composed of 30 current smokers who received the peer-mentoring intervention. The control group was composed of 14 individuals. Overall mean eCO levels dropped from 26 ppm (SD 19.0) at baseline to 12 (SD 6.0) at follow-up (P < 0.01). Participants who were enrolled in our program were more likely to have non-smoking eCO levels (<7 ppm) at follow-up (23.3%) compared to those who did not enroll (14.3%).

Conclusion

Our program is feasible for low-income predominantly African American communities. Using peers as mentors may be helpful in providing services for hard-to-reach populations. Given the non-randomized design of our study, randomized trials are needed to test the efficacy of our program in the future.

Examining pathways between family or peer factors and smoking cessation in a nationally representative US sample of adults with mental health conditions who smoke: a structural equation analysis

Background

Supportive family or peer behaviors positively impact smoking cessation in people with mental health problems who smoke. However, the limited understanding of the pathways through which family or peer factors impact quitting limits the development of effective support interventions. This study examined pathways through which family or peer views on tobacco use, family or peer smoking status, and rules against smoking in the home influenced quitting in adults with mental health problems who smoke.

Methods

We used data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study, a national longitudinal survey. Baseline data were collected in 2015, and follow-up data in 2016. We included adults’ current smokers who had experienced two or more mental health symptoms in the past year (unweighted n = 4201). Structural equation modeling was used to test the relationships between family and peer factors, mediating factors, and smoking cessation.

Results

We found that having family or peers with negative views on tobacco use had a positive indirect effect on smoking cessation, mediated through the individual’s intention to quit (regression coefficient: 0.19) and the use of evidence-based approaches during their past year quit attempt (regression coefficient: 0.32). Having rules against smoking in the home (regression coefficient: 0.33) and having non-smoking family members or peers (regression coefficient: 0.11) had a positive indirect effect on smoking cessation, mediated through smoking behaviors (regression coefficient: 0.36). All paths were statistically significant (p <  0.01). The model explained 20% of the variability in smoking outcomes.

Conclusion

Family or peer-based cessation interventions that systematically increase intentions to quit and monitor smoking behavior may be able to assess the efficacy of family and peer support on quitting in people with mental health problems who smoke.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13979-z.

Association between family or peer views towards tobacco use and past 30-day smoking cessation among adults with mental health problems

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Adults with mental health problems have a higher prevalence of cigarette smoking.

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Our findings suggest that neutral or positive family or peer views towards tobacco use may deter cessation efforts.

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Efforts to modify views family or peers are needed to improve quit rates in this population.

Adults with mental health problems have a higher prevalence of cigarette smoking. We examined the association between family or peer views towards tobacco use and past 30-day cessation among adult with mental health conditions who smoke.

We used nationally representative data from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health Study. We included individuals who currently smoked and reported mental health symptoms over the past year (n = 4201). We used the Global Appraisal of Individual Needs Short Screener questionnaire to assess mental health conditions. Logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) in the association between family and peer views towards tobacco use and past 30-day smoking cessation.

Compared to participants who had family or peers with negative views towards tobacco use, those with family or peers with neutral or positive views were 32% less likely (adjusted OR: 0.68, 95%CI: 0.51 – 0.93) to report past 30-day smoking cessation. The association between family/peer views towards tobacco use and smoking cessation was statisitcally significant for individuals with symptoms on the both internalizing and externalizing sub-scales (adjusted OR: 0.62, 95%CI: 0.42 – 0.92), but not for those reporting symptoms on a single sub scale.

Our findings suggest that having family members or peers who hold neutral or positive views towards tobacco use may deter cessation efforts of people with mental health conditions who smoke. Efforts to modify these views are needed to improve quit rates in people with mental health conditions who smoke.

Developing a Smoking Cessation Intervention for People With Severe Mental Illness Treated by Flexible Assertive Community Treatment Teams in the Netherlands: A Delphi Study

BACKGROUND

There is still limited evidence on the effectiveness and implementation of smoking cessation interventions for people with severe mental illness (SMI) in Dutch outpatient psychiatric settings. The present study aimed to establish expert consensus on the core components and strategies to optimise practical implementation of a smoking cessation intervention for people treated by Flexible Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) teams in the Netherlands.

DESIGN

A modified Delphi method was applied to reach consensus on three core components (behavioural counselling, pharmacological treatment and peer support) of the intervention. The Delphi panel comprised five experts with different professional backgrounds. We proposed a first intervention concept. The panel critically examined the evolving concept in three iterative rounds of 90 min each. Responses were recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed.

RESULTS

Overall, results yielded that behavioural counselling should focus on preparation for smoking cessation, guidance, relapse prevention and normalisation. Pharmacological treatment consisting of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), Varenicline or Bupropion, under supervision of a psychiatrist, was recommended. The panel agreed on integrating peer support as a regular part of the intervention, thus fostering emotional and practical support among patients. Treatment of a co-morbid cannabis use disorder needs to be integrated into the intervention if indicated. Regarding implementation, staff's motivation to support smoking cessation was considered essential. For each ambulatory team, two mental health care professionals will have a central role in delivering the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

This study provides insight into expert consensus on the core components of a smoking cessation intervention for people with SMI. The results of this study were used for the development of a comprehensive smoking cessation program.

Qualitative analysis of social network influences on quitting smoking among individuals with serious mental illness

Objective: The prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults with serious mental illness (SMI) remains high in the United States despite the availability of effective smoking cessation treatment. Identifying social influences on smoking and smoking cessation may help enhance intervention strategies to help smokers with SMI quit. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore social network influences on efforts to quit smoking among adults with SMI enrolled in a cessation treatment program. Methods: Participants were 41 individuals with SMI enrolled in a Medicaid Demonstration Project of smoking cessation at community mental health centers. A convenience sampling strategy was used to recruit participants for social network interviews exploring the influence of family, friends, peers, and significant others on quitting smoking. A team-based analysis of qualitative data involved descriptive coding, grouping coded data into categories, and identifying themes across the data. Results: Social barriers to quitting smoking included pro-smoking social norms, attitudes, and behaviors of social network members, and negative interactions with network members, either specific to smoking or that triggered smoking. Social facilitators to quitting included quitting with network members, having cessation role models, and social support for quitting from network members. Conclusions: Similar to the general population, social factors appear to influence efforts to quit smoking among individuals with SMI enrolled in cessation treatment. Interventions that leverage positive social influences on smoking cessation have the potential to enhance strategies to help individuals with SMI quit smoking.

'They're Going to Smoke Anyway': A Qualitative Study of Community Mental Health Staff and Consumer Perspectives on the Role of Social and Living Environments in Tobacco Use and Cessation

Background: Addressing the high prevalence of tobacco use experienced by people with severe mental illness (SMI) requires consideration of the influence of wider cultural, socioeconomic and environmental factors. This qualitative study aimed to examine the impact of social and living environments on tobacco use and cessation by people with SMI accessing community managed mental health services. The perspectives of both staff and consumers with SMI were explored. Methods: Semi-structured focus groups were undertaken with a purposive sample of community mental health staff and consumers from three sites in three major cities in NSW, Australia. Two sites provided outreach support, and one site provided residential support. Data were collected (2017-2018) until saturation was reached. Focus groups were audio-recorded and transcribed, and thematic analysis was conducted. Results: Thirty-one staff and 17 consumers participated separately in six focus groups. Themes identified by staff included a degree of fatalism, conceptualising tobacco use as choice rather than addiction and tensions between cessation support and broader models of care. Staff viewed smoke-free home and mental health service policies as effective at promoting quitting but contradictory to recovery-oriented models of care. Consumers identified smoking as an integral part of life and social networks, as a way of maintaining control and lack of social support to quit as key themes. While many consumers reported smoking inside the home, others described enforcing smoke-free rules. Conclusion: Social and living environments played an integral role in tobacco use and cessation for both staff and consumers. The role of community managed mental health organisations in addressing tobacco use within social and living environments was not strongly supported by staff and sometimes seen as antithetical to recovery-oriented models of care. Potential ways to address this include education and training for prospective and current community mental health organisation staff highlighting the synergy between the recovery-oriented model and provision of preventive health support.

Helping Smokers with Severe Mental Illness Who Do Not Want to Quit

BACKGROUND

People with a severe and persistent mental illness are far more likely to smoke than others. While a large portion would like to quit, they are less likely to make quit attempts and succeed.

OBJECTIVE

This study used an Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) to test an intervention designed to increase engagement in cessation treatment, quit attempts, and quitting in smokers who did not want to quit in the next 30 days. It also compared these smokers with those who were motivated to quit in the next 30 days.

METHODS

Participants (N = 222), were smokers with significant mental illness receiving intensive outpatient care from Wisconsin Community Support Programs who were not interested in quitting in the next 30 days. They were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or an attention control group. The intervention, administered during four weekly sessions, included a motivational element, components designed to prepare the smoker for a quit attempt, and pre-quit nicotine patch. Additionally, 48 smokers motivated to quit in the next 30 days served as a comparison group.

RESULTS

Compared to control participants, smokers receiving the intervention were more likely to be abstinent at the three month follow-up (biochemically verified, intent to treat, 8.5% vs. 1.0%, respectively, p = .01). They were also more likely to accept four more quitting preparation sessions (intent to treat, 50.8% vs 29.2%, respectively, p < .001) but were not more likely to call a telephone tobacco quit line. Conclusion/Importance: Brief motivational interventions increased engagement in cessation treatment and abstinence among smokers with signification mental illness.

A substantial peer-worker workforce in a psychiatric service will improve patient outcomes - the case against

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this work was to examine, via narrative review, the evidence supporting the drive for more peer workers to gauge the likely impact on patient outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

Despite considerable research into the effectiveness of peer workers in clinical psychiatry, there is insufficient evidence to support the proposition that a substantial peer workforce would improve the outcomes of people living with mental illness.

Peer support interventions seeking to improve physical health and lifestyle behaviours among people with serious mental illness: A systematic review

People with serious mental illness (SMI) experience a premature mortality gap of between 10 and 20 years. Interest is growing in the potential for peer support interventions (PSI) to improve the physical health of people with SMI. We conducted a systematic review investigating if PSI can improve the physical health, lifestyle factors, and physical health appointment attendance among people with SMI. A systematic search of major electronic databases was conducted from inception until February 2016 for any article investigating PSI seeking to improve physical health, lifestyle, or physical health appointment attendance. From 1347 initial hits, seven articles were eligible, including three pilot randomized, control trials (interventions: n = 85, controls: n = 81), and four pretest and post-test studies (n = 54). There was considerable heterogeneity in the type of PSI, and the role of the peer support workers (PSW) varied considerably. Three studies found that PSI resulted in insignificant reductions in weight. Evidence from three studies considering the impact of PSI on lifestyle changes was equivocal, with only one study demonstrating that PSI improved self-report physical activity and diet. Evidence regarding physical health appointment attendance was also unclear across four studies. In conclusion, there is inconsistent evidence to support the use of PSW to improve the physical health and promote lifestyle change among people with SMI. The small sample sizes, heterogeneity of interventions, outcome measures, and lack of clarity about the unique contribution of PSW means no definitive conclusions can be made about the benefits of PSW and physical health in SMI.

The Experience of Peer Mentors in an Intervention to Promote Smoking Cessation in Persons with Psychiatric Illness

Peer support is an important component of services for persons with psychiatric illness but the experience of peer mentors is not well understood. This study explored the experiences of peer mentors, all former smokers and persons with psychiatric illness, who provided smoking cessation counseling as part of a 6 month professionally-led intervention. Data was obtained from 383 contact log entries and in-depth interviews with eight peer mentors. Qualitative analysis indicated that mentor roles were unexpectedly varied beyond the focus on smoking cessation. Of the two aspects of "peer-ness," shared smoking history was more prominent, while the shared experience of psychiatric illness was sometimes overlooked. Peer mentors experienced multiple challenges trying to help participants to change their smoking behaviors. Nonetheless, they described their experience as personally rewarding. Future interventions may be improved by anticipating peer mentor role complexity and the inherent tension between providing person-centered support and promoting behavior change.

Naturally occurring peer support through social media: the experiences of individuals with severe mental illness using YouTube

Increasingly, people with diverse health conditions turn to social media to share their illness experiences or seek advice from others with similar health concerns. This unstructured medium may represent a platform on which individuals with severe mental illness naturally provide and receive peer support. Peer support includes a system of mutual giving and receiving where individuals with severe mental illness can offer hope, companionship, and encouragement to others facing similar challenges. In this study we explore the phenomenon of individuals with severe mental illness uploading videos to YouTube, and posting and responding to comments as a form of naturally occurring peer support. We also consider the potential risks and benefits of self-disclosure and interacting with others on YouTube. To address these questions, we used qualitative inquiry informed by emerging techniques in online ethnography. We analyzed n = 3,044 comments posted to 19 videos uploaded by individuals who self-identified as having schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder. We found peer support across four themes: minimizing a sense of isolation and providing hope; finding support through peer exchange and reciprocity; sharing strategies for coping with day-to-day challenges of severe mental illness; and learning from shared experiences of medication use and seeking mental health care. These broad themes are consistent with accepted notions of peer support in severe mental illness as a voluntary process aimed at inclusion and mutual advancement through shared experience and developing a sense of community. Our data suggest that the lack of anonymity and associated risks of being identified as an individual with severe mental illness on YouTube seem to be overlooked by those who posted comments or uploaded videos. Whether or not this platform can provide benefits for a wider community of individuals with severe mental illness remains uncertain.

Staff representations and tobacco-related practices in a psychiatric hospital with an indoor smoking ban

The present study describes representations about smoking and practices related to patient smoking among staff of a large public psychiatric hospital. A survey was performed using a specially designed questionnaire. The return rate was 72.4% (n = 155). A large proportion of staff recognized the importance of both smoking status and mental health for patient's well-being (46.9%), and believed that smoking cessation was possible for psychiatric patients (58.6%). However, the role of the psychiatric hospital was perceived as providing information (85.3%) and helping to diminish cigarette consumption (51%), rather than proposing smoking cessation (29.5%). Staff daily practice included reminding patients of smoking restrictions (43.9%), managing cigarettes (46.5%), and nicotine replacement therapy (24.3%). A principal component analysis of tobacco-related practices revealed two main factors (59.8% of variance): basic hospital actions (factor 1) and more specialized interventions (factor 2), which were significantly associated with higher worries about personally developing smoke-related illnesses (Spearman r = 0.38, P < 0.0001). Compared with non-smokers, smokers reported higher perceived vulnerability to develop an illness due to tobacco and a higher level of worry about this. The discussion highlights the need to redefine roles and expectancies of mental health staff, and improve training and collaboration with experts, in order to improve efficiency concerning tobacco issues.

A systematic review of peer-support programs for smoking cessation in disadvantaged groups

The burden of smoking is borne most by those who are socially disadvantaged and the social gradient in smoking contributes substantially to the health gap between the rich and poor. A number of factors contribute to higher tobacco use among socially disadvantaged populations including social (e.g., low social support for quitting), psychological (e.g., low self-efficacy) and physical factors (e.g., greater nicotine dependence). Current evidence for the effectiveness of peer or partner support interventions in enhancing the success of quit attempts in the general population is equivocal, largely due to study design and lack of a theoretical framework in this research. We conducted a systematic review of peer support interventions for smoking cessation in disadvantaged groups. The eight studies which met the inclusion criteria showed that interventions that improve social support for smoking cessation may be of greater importance to disadvantaged groups who experience fewer opportunities to access such support informally. Peer-support programs are emerging as highly effective and empowering ways for people to manage health issues in a socially supportive context. We discuss the potential for peer-support programs to address the high prevalence of smoking in vulnerable populations and also to build capacity in their communities.

Smoking cessation counseling for Asian immigrants with serious mental illness: using RE-AIM to understand challenges and lessons learned in primary care-behavioral health integration

Engagement in modifiable risk behaviors, such as tobacco use, substantially contributes to early mortality rates in individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). There is an alarmingly high prevalence of tobacco use among subgroups of Asian Americans, such as immigrants and individuals with SMI, yet there are no empirically supported effective smoking cessation interventions that have been tailored to meet the unique cultural, cognitive, and psychological needs of Asian immigrants with SMI. In this article, we share the experiences of clinicians in the delivery of smoking cessation counseling to Asian American immigrants with SMI, in the context of an Asian-focused integrated primary care and behavioral health setting. Through a qualitative analysis of clinician perspectives organized with the RE-AIM framework, we outline challenges, lessons learned, and promising directions for delivering smoking cessation counseling to Asian American immigrant clients with SMI.