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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Erica L. Velasco, BA and Laurie Thomas, BA. Tobacco Use Prevention Program, Maricopa County, 3838 N Central Avenue, Suite 1600, Phoenix, AZ 85012, 602-372-8418, lauriethomas@mail.maricopa.gov

Objective: The Maricopa County Tobacco Use Prevention Program (MACTUPP) wanted to foster a closer relationship between current and potential cessation clients and the public at large. And also assist tobacco users along the quit continuum in a new way.

Method: With little financial resources to achieve this objective, MACTUPP developed an innovative, interactive tool utilizing computer technology. MACTUPP created a blog, (an online journal), where cessation clients can chronicle their successes and struggles while quitting tobacco through the MACTUPP cessation program. This blog is accessible on the World Wide Web. Visitors to the website read blog entries and respond to clients with support and their own personal experiences. This interactive format encourages the current client while inspiring future cessation clients. Organizations cannot afford to ignore blogs, they are the most explosive outbreak in the information world since the Internet. This is the first quit tobacco blog sponsored by a County tobacco control program in the US. The blog is promoted through classes, newspaper, and television media.

Results: MACTUPP initially recruited 5 cessation clients to write for the blog. The blog generated 16 news stories in both print and television mediums, highlighting various bloggers. This generated over $23,500 in earned media. In the first month, the blog accumulated over 7,000 hits and continues to reach new heights. MACTUPP developed a closer relationship with current clients while promoting the program to Maricopa County. This blog has entries that are extremely poignant, heart rendering and encouraging to others battling tobacco addiction.

Learning Objectives:

• Develop a public blog (web log) that highlights the experiences of local tobacco users quitting tobacco.
• Create an internal blog or identify affordable external hosts.
• Monitor blog submissions before posting.

Keywords: Tobacco, Technology

Related Web page: www.quittersblog.com

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation