An important US study published in February 2026 shows that of a hospitalised cohort of patients from a primary care clinic, those who currently smoke or previously smoked are at increased risk for rehospitalisation compared with those who have never smoked. Importantly, the prescription of cessation medications is associated with a decreased risk of rehospitalisation among those who currently smoke. The low pharmacotherapy prescription rate highlights a significant gap in care. While the study concluded that improved treatment of tobacco use during hospitalisations could lower rehospitalisation rates, treatment could also make a difference to patients receiving post-admission care.
A 2026 Cochrane review update conducted at the University of Adelaide determined there is high-certainty evidence that training healthcare professionals in smoking cessation increases patient smoking cessation. The pooled data showed a 34% increase in quitting compared with no training at 6-month follow-up.
This information highlights the important role of health professionals including GPs, nurses and pharmacists in providing cessation care, and having access to the most up to date, evidence-based resources such as those available at Quit Centre. Explore the latest updated clinical tools and guidelines and online training.