Patient navigation to promote smoking cessation among low-income primary care patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial

We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial to determine the feasibility and acceptability of a patient navigation intervention. Forty-seven smokers from one safety-net hospital were randomized to either a control group, in which they received a smoking cessation brochure and a list of smoking cessation resources, or a navigation group, in which they received the smoking cessation brochure, a list of smoking cessation resources, and patient navigation. Follow-up data were obtained for 33 participants. Nine (47.4%) of 19 of navigation group participants had engaged in smoking cessation treatment by 3 months versus 6 (42.9%) of 14 control group participants (chi-square p = ns). Patient navigation to promote engagement in smoking cessation treatment was feasible and acceptable to participants