Background and Objectives: The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research's practice guidelines for smoking cessation (1996) included several strategies for system-wide change in addition to recommendations for individual therapies. Following these recommendations, Middlesex Health System, serving Middlesex County, CT, established a comprehensive smoking intervention service. The program has a unique three-fold mission of smoking cessation, advocacy/activism, and prevention, highlighting the principles outlined in the "Medicine/Public Health Initiative", crossing the intervention spectrum from individuals (e.g. counseling all hospitalized smokers) to populations (e.g. facilitating smoke-free school policies) in collaboration with community partners. Structure and impact: The cessation arm of the service is modeled on the evidence for universal screening and individualized counseling and pharmacotherapy for every smoker that contacts the health system in numerous settings, in addition to enrollment through community outreach. The service is offered at no charge to anyone who lives or works within the service area. Since February of 1999, the service has worked with close to 400 individuals, with a 44% quit rate at 6 months following entry. The program has also trained over 250 health care professionals at 12 affiliated sites. The advocacy/activism arm of the program is guided mainly by community need, via active collaboration with state and local substance abuse and tobacco control coalitions. Prevention activities focus on evidence-based approaches , such as promotion of smoke-free schools, prevention of youth access to tobacco, and supporting smoke-free families.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the AHCPR's smoking cessation guidelines directed towards health systems. 2. Describe a model community-based smoking intervention program which incorporates cessation, advocacy and prevention
Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Community-Based Health Promotion
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.