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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Lynette J. Brown, MBA¹, Deborah Hudson, BS, RRT², Valerie Hepburn, PhD¹, Michael Eriksen, ScD¹, and Dianne Robertson, BSN, CHES³. (1) Institute of Public Health, Georgia State University, Georgia Tobacco Policy Project, P.O. Box 3995, Atlanta, GA 30302-3995, (2) Clarian Tobacco Control Center, Indiana University, P.O. Box 1367, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1367, (3) Nicholls Clinic, Georgia Division of Public Health, Southeast District, 804 North Liberty St, Douglas, GA 31533, 912-345-0059, bdrobertson@gdph.state.ga.us

Access to basic healthcare and preventive services is a human right. Yet, individuals in rural areas are often disadvantaged in this regard; lacking access to many services readily available to their urban counterparts. Recognizing the unique public health and economic needs of Georgia's tobacco-producing communities, the Georgia Tobacco Policy Project (G-TOPP) serves as a distinct voice - bringing together experts, advocates, community representatives, and tobacco producers to develop innovative approaches to integrate the interests of these seemingly disparate groups while promoting tobacco control measures in a “Big Tobacco” state.

During the Tobacco-Health Dialogues, leaders in Georgia's tobacco-growing regions identified a lack of smoking cessation services as an issue in rural communities. A search for rural cessation best practices indicated a paucity of practice models. The Georgia Rural Cessation Pilots Project was formulated in response to this need with an aim of developing models of practice for rural cessation services.

The project includes three hospital-based pilots; one in each of Georgia's top tobacco growing communities. Local champions, public health leaders, state and national cessation experts and academia joined together in September 2005 for a special train-the-trainer session with a rurally-focused, evidence-based curriculum. From this collaboration sprang the Rural Cessation Workgroup, which meets regularly - offering a peer-to-peer forum and technical assistance from local, district, state and academic resources. Lessons learned from these pilots have provided several distinct models of practice for rural communities. Their unique stories can serve others seeking to establish cessation services in a uniquely rural, tobacco-dependent environment.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the learner will be able to

• Recognize the unique public health and economic needs of rural, tobacco-producing communities.
• Describe the Georgia Rural Cessation Pilots Project and how this collaborative project addressed the needs of rural communities.
• Apply the models of practice developed from these pilots to other rural communities, with a focus on tobacco-dependent states.

Keywords: Tobacco, Community Collaboration

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered