Reimbursement for smoking cessation treatment

INTERVENTION: For a period of 6 months, smokers in the intervention group had the opportunity to apply for reimbursement for SCT. They received a leaflet with a description of the SCTs for which reimbursement was available, and information on how to receive the reimbursement. Smokers in the intervention group could receive full reimbursement for pharmacological treatment (bupropion and NRT (chewing gum, patch, tablet, sublingual tablet and inhaler)), behavioural counselling (written advice, telephone or face to face counselling) or a combination. To receive reimbursement, they had to send the receipt and two statements of personal contact with a health care professional (general practitioner, general practice nurse, physician, psychologist or health community worker) to the health insurance company. Before the study started, all the health care professionals in the study region were informed about the study. No limit was set on the number of applications for reimbursement. In the control, no reimbursement or information about smoking cessation treatment was offered. CONDITION: Smoking cessation ; Mental and Behavioural Disorders ; Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of tobacco PRIMARY OUTCOME: The primary outcome measure of the reimbursement study was continuous abstinence from smoking. Continuous abstinence was defined as not having smoked for at least seven days preceding the 6‐month and 12‐month questionnaire and not having relapsed between both questionnaires. After the 6‐month and 12‐month questionnaire, quitters were contacted to make an appointment for biochemical validation of their smoking status. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Secondary outcomes were the use of smoking cessation treatment, the number of quit attempts that were undertaken, and the cost‐effectiveness of reimbursement was assessed. INCLUSION CRITERIA: We included smokers of at least 18 years old and healthcare insured by health insurance company "De Friesland Zorgverzekeraar". Participants did not have to be motivated to quit smoking.