Motivating Smokers in the Hospital Pulmonary Function Laboratory to Quit Smoking by Use of the Lung Age Concept

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of lung age to motivate a quit attempt among smokers presenting to a hospital pulmonary function testing (PFT) laboratory. Methods: Participants were randomized to receive a lung age- based motivational strategy (intervention group) versus standard care (control group). At 1 month, all participants were inter- viewed by telephone to determine whether they made a quit attempt. Results: A total of 67 participants were enrolled, and 51 com- pleted the study. Baseline mean data included age = 52 years, 70% women, 40 pack-years of smoking, FEV 1 = 69% predicted, and lung age = 83 years. The quit attempt rates were not differ- ent between the intervention and control groups (32% vs. 24%, respectively, p = .59). There was a near significant interaction between lung age and intervention strategy (p = .089), with quit attempt rates among those with normal lung age of 18% in the intervention group versus 33% in the control group and among those with high (worse) lung age of 39% in the intervention group versus 17% in the control group; p = .38. Conclusions: Using lung age to motivate smokers presenting to the PFT laboratory to quit may succeed in patients with high lung age but may undermine motivation in smokers with nor- mal lung age. Further work is needed to refine the approach to smokers with normal lung age.