Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a smoking cessation intervention based on the transtheoretical model of change with a sample of low-income African American smokers admitted to an indigent-care hospital. Methods: The intervention incorporated components shown to be effective in increasing cessation in other populations, tailored to a bedside counseling format with follow-up contact postdischarge. Results: Intervention patients were significantly more likely to advance in stage than were control patients. Conclusion: A hospital-offered bedside intervention offers promise in reaching underserved smokers with effective, though limited, cessation assistance.
