Phone Counseling Helpful for Heavy-Drinking Smokers

A recent study by the Yale School of Medicine published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology stated that phone counseling modified for heavy-drinking smokers may help them quit smoking (Agnew, 2014).

Research shows that smokers who are also heavy drinkers are at higher risk for numerous health problems than smokers who drink less. Furthermore, heavy-drinking smokers are more likely to relapse if they are able to quit smoking. This prompted Yale researchers to examine “how telephone counselors could help” (Agnew, 2014).

The study defined hazardous drinking as fourteen drinks a week for men and seven drinks a week for women in the past year. According to Yale News, the results of the study determined that heavy-drinking smokers “who received alcohol counseling and a brochure about reducing drinking were significantly more likely to quit smoking than hazardous drinking smokers who received only tobacco counseling and a brochure about tobacco” (Agnew, 2014).

“If quitlines across the country used this method, we could reach millions of people seeking help,” stated Benjamin A. Toll, the principle researcher on the study (Agnew, 2014).

References

Agnew, V. (2014). Quitting cigarettes tougher for heavy-drinking smokers, but phone counseling can help. Retrieved from http://news.yale.edu/2014/11/24/quitting-cigarettes-tougher-heavy-drinking-smokers-phone-counseling-can-help

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