Access to nicotine replacement therapy as part of a statewide tobacco telephone helpline.
OBJECTIVE
To describe change in Minnesota's QUITPLAN helpline operations following provision of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) to multisession counseling enrollees.


METHODS
NRT access began September 2002. Call volume is reported from September 2001 to May 2003 (pre-NRT = 2734, post-NRT = 12,536). A survey administered at 2 weeks assesses self-reported connection to services (response rate 80%, n = 538/670, pre-NRT vs. 67%, n = 400/595, post-NRT, p < .001).


RESULTS
Provision of NRT was followed by an increase in call volume (439 +/- 229 calls/month January through May pre-NRT vs. 1292 +/- 308 calls/month January through May post-NRT, p = .001). Enrollment in multisession counseling increased (17.4% pre-NRT vs. 75.3% post-NRT, p < .001). Among survey respondents, connection to services was not changed (83.8% pre-NRT vs. 88.0% post-NRT, p = .072). At 2 weeks, more respondents who enrolled in multisession counseling reported having a follow-up call scheduled (43.9% pre-NRT vs. 64.1% post-NRT, p = .001).


CONCLUSIONS
This is an observational study. Providing NRT as part of a statewide helpline may increase recruitment and encourage callers to enroll in multisession counseling.
An
Lawrence C
LC
University of Minnesota, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Mayo Building, Mail Code 741, 420 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. lcan@umn.edu
Schillo
Barbara A
BA
Kavanaugh
Annette
A
Luxenberg
Michael G
MG
Joseph
Anne M
AM
McAfee
Tim
T
D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006306:Health Surveys; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D008910:Minnesota; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy*