Auricular Transcutaneous Electrostimulation Therapy and Intensive Counseling for the Treatment of Smoking Cessation in a Primary Care Practice

Effects Assessment of Auricular Acupuncture and Group Counseling for Smoking Cessation in Senior High School Students

“…Although numerous school-based smoking prevention and cessation studies have found short-term decreases in smoking prevalence by up to 30%-70%, there still lack evidence on the long-term effectiveness of such programs. While longer and intense counseling sessions can assess smokers' readiness to quit, explore smoking habits and identify barriers to smoking cessation as well as factors leading to relapse, which assist professions to establish individualized quitting strategies for different smoker (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010). In comparison with single intervention, the addition of school-based group counseling may be needed to reinforce the success rate in abstinence and cigarette consumption of subjects who undergo AA for smoking cessation.…”

“…Superior results of AA regarding abstinence rate, CO, and conitine during follow-up period were showed in two studies (Yeh et al, 2014;Fritz, Carney, Steinmeyer, Ditson, Hill, & Zee-Cheng, 2013). A meta-analysis concluded that auriculotherapy may be effective in smoking cessation attributable to psychological factors but not related to the location point (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010;Silva Rde, Chaves Ede, Pillon, Silva, Moreira Dda, & Iunes, 2014). Additionally, a smoking cessation rate can increase up to nearly 30% in AA group with educational counseling comparing with AA alone, which implies cooperation of these strategies may impose synergistic effect, though still lack of more rigorous, well-designed and large sample size studies (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010).…”

“…A meta-analysis concluded that auriculotherapy may be effective in smoking cessation attributable to psychological factors but not related to the location point (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010;Silva Rde, Chaves Ede, Pillon, Silva, Moreira Dda, & Iunes, 2014). Additionally, a smoking cessation rate can increase up to nearly 30% in AA group with educational counseling comparing with AA alone, which implies cooperation of these strategies may impose synergistic effect, though still lack of more rigorous, well-designed and large sample size studies (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010). From the perspectives of safety and accessibility for, AA offers a simple, non-invasive, and long-term constancy method for smoking cessation (Yeh, Chang, Chu, & Chen, 2009).…”

“…Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT, patch, gum, or other formulations) offsetting nicotine craving, bupropion blunting nicotine withdrawal symptoms and varenicline lessening both nicotine craving and withdrawal symptoms are common medications used individually or in combination to achieve better likelihood of abstinence at six months or more than no intervention and have been recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force. However, unaffordable cost, potential side effects of the pharmacotherapy such as mouth, throat and nasal irritation, dry mouth, dyspepsia, cardiovascular distress and insomnia may lead to a premature discontinuation of the medications and low abstinence rates (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010;Chang, Fung, Li, Lin, Tam, Tang, & Tong, 2013). NRT may have the potential for priming the brain for nicotine addiction since the adolescent are highly susceptible to nicotine even early or limited nicotine exposure and may also lead to other drug addiction (Karpinski, Timpe, & Lubsch, 2010).…”

“…NRT may have the potential for priming the brain for nicotine addiction since the adolescent are highly susceptible to nicotine even early or limited nicotine exposure and may also lead to other drug addiction (Karpinski, Timpe, & Lubsch, 2010). Serious neuropsychiatric symptoms induced by varenicline, suicide thoughts and attempts, hostility or behavior change for example, were reported in some studies and must be taken into consideration while prescribing the drug to specific patients (Thanavaro & Delicath, 2010).…”