Characteristics of smokers calling a national reactive telephone helpline.
OBJECTIVE
Although reactive telephone helplines for quitting smoking are increasingly popular in the United States, the characteristics of callers using this resource have not been adequately studied. The objective of this study was to describe the characteristics of the current smokers calling a national reactive telephone helpline (i.e., study population).


METHODS
In this cross-sectional study, information was obtained from eligible participants telephonically.


METHODS
The study included 890 adult current smokers who were new callers to a national reactive helpline.


METHODS
The information collected included selected demographic and smoking-related characteristics.


METHODS
The proportions of the above characteristics were analyzed.


RESULTS
There was a significant overepresentation of blacks, non-Hispanics, women, and urban residents, as well as poorer, older, less educated, and heavier smokers in the study population (p < .01 for all comparisons).


CONCLUSIONS
Reactive telephone helplines may be preferentially used by population segments who are disadvantaged or smoke heavily and thus are in greatest need for assistance. These helplines may therefore fill a much-needed niche in the marketplace of smoking cessation strategies.
Sood
Akshay
A
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Albuquerque 87131, USA. asood@salud.unm.edu
Andoh
Jennifer
J
Rajoli
Naveen
N
Hopkins-Price
Patricia
P
Verhulst
Steven J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D015277:Hotlines / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D007484:Iowa; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D035862:Vulnerable Populations / Q000145:classification / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*