Hospital-based smoking cessation programs: a statewide survey.
Hospitalization is regarded as a "window of opportunity" for initiating smoking-cessation programs, but the proportion of hospitalized smokers reached by such programs is uncertain. While 25 of 31 Connecticut acute-care hospitals surveyed (March-April 2000) had a smoking cessation program, only three had a program specifically for hospital patients. Each of these three programs counseled several hundred patients per year. Programs at the other hospitals included few hospital patients. Only a small proportion of the estimated hospitalized (inpatient) smokers were reached by a hospital-based cessation program. Hospitalized smokers remain largely a missed opportunity with regard to enhancing long-term smoking cessation rates.
Polednak
A P
AP
Connecticut Department of Public Health, Hartford, USA.
D003237:Connecticut; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D017722:Hospital Charges / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*