The role of health professionals in a community-based program to help women quit smoking.
BACKGROUND
Health professionals are credible sources of smoking cessation advice. This study describes changes in health professionals' reported provision of smoking cessation counseling activities for women during a community health education project that took place in two intervention counties (I) and compares these to reports from health professionals in two similar comparison counties (C).


METHODS
Specific smoking cessation activities reported by physicians (I n = 73, C n = 73), dentists (I n = 51, C n = 46), dental hygienists (I n = 38, C n = 44), family planning and WIC (Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants and Children) counselors (I n = 14 C n = 16), and community mental health counselors (I n = 57, C n = 23) were assessed by mailed surveys at baseline, after 4 years of countywide interventions, and 2 years later.


RESULTS
Compared with health professionals in the comparison counties, significant increases in smoking cessation training (P < 0.01) and in reported referral of women to stop smoking groups, support groups, and one-to-one support were noted for physicians, family planning, and WIC counselors (P < 0.001); in training and referral to stop smoking groups and support groups by dentists and dental hygienists (P < 0.05); and in referral to support groups by community mental health counselors (P < 0.05). Significant increases in setting quit dates (P < 0.05) and providing self-help materials (P < 0.01) were also noted for family planning and WIC counselors. These effects were no longer demonstrable 2 years after external support for the countywide interventions was withdrawn.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that an important aspect of facilitating consistent smoking cessation advice and counseling from health professionals in the future will be the provision of a broader range of regularly available smoking cessation support systems within communities than is generally available at this time in the United States.
Secker-Walker
R H
RH
Office of Health Promotion Research, University of Vermont, Burlington,Vermont, USA. rseckerw@zoo.uvm.edu
Dana
G S
GS
Solomon
L J
LJ
Flynn
B S
BS
Geller
B M
BM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003153:Community Health Services; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010348:Patient Care Team; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D016896:Treatment Outcome