Offering free NRT through a tobacco quitline: impact on utilisation and quit rates.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact on quitline utilisation and cessation outcomes of adding free nicotine patches to the existing programme offerings.


METHODS
Tobacco use status data from the Ohio tobacco quitline were collected from a subset of quitline callers 6 months after the initial intake call. To evaluate the impact of the nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) initiative, quit rates for two groups were compared: those who entered and exited the quitline programme before the availability of free NRT (n = 4657) and those who entered and exited the quitline programme after the availability of free NRT (n = 5715).


RESULTS
Call volume increased from 2351 intakes calls per month or 78 calls per day before the availability of free NRT to 3606 intake calls per month or 188 intakes per day following the availability of free NRT (p<0.0001). 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 months among all quitline callers increased from 10.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 9.7 to 10.9) before the availability of NRT to 14.9% (95% CI 14.3 to 15.5) after the availability of NRT.


CONCLUSIONS
Offering free NRT through a state quitline is an effective means of increasing quitline utilisation and improving quit rates.
National Jewish Medical and Research Center, Denver, CO 80206, USA. tinkelmand@njc.org
David
D
Tinkelman
Steven M
SM
Wilson
Jeff
J
Willett
Christine T
CT
Sweeney
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D015277:Hotlines / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009820:Ohio; D015397:Program Evaluation; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000628:therapy*
D009538:Nicotine