Telephone-based tobacco-cessation treatment: re-enrollment among diverse groups.
BACKGROUND
Telephone quitlines are utilized by diverse individuals and represent an effective tobacco-cessation modality. Quitlines allow tobacco users to seek support for multiple quit attempts. Little is known about how frequently tobacco users take advantage of this opportunity. No studies have been conducted to determine how communication strategies affect quitline re-enrollments. This study aimed to determine the rates of quitline re-enrollment and to compare the responses of people of varying racial/ethnic identities to invitations utilizing different communication strategies.


METHODS
Four-cell RCT.


METHODS
Random sample of 2400 tobacco users who enrolled into services during 2006, with oversampling of ethnic populations.


METHODS
Between November 2006 and January 2007, participants received either no invitation to re-enroll or were invited to re-enroll into services via a letter, a letter with ethnic-specific content, or a letter and a telephone call.


METHODS
Re-enrollment into quitline services.


RESULTS
Analysis of the 252 days prior to the intervention resulted in a spontaneous re-enrollment rate of 0.54% per 30 days. Recruitment using mailers did not significantly change this rate; the addition of telephone calls increased re-enrollment to 6.93% per 30 days. No significant differences were found among the subpopulations studied. Invalid addresses (16%); invalid telephone numbers (29.1%); and the inability to reach subjects after five call attempts (37.9%) were barriers to recruitment.


CONCLUSIONS
For those who have previously called quitlines for help, proactive re-enrollment can be one way to initiate a new quit attempt after relapse. This study has shown that it is feasible to re-enroll former quitline participants, making the test of effectiveness the next logical step.
Free & Clear, Inc., Seattle, Washington 98104, USA. Beatriz.Carlini@freeclear.com
Beatriz H
BH
Carlini
Susan M
SM
Zbikowski
Harold S
HS
Javitz
T Mona
TM
Deprey
Sharon E
SE
Cummins
Shu-Hong
SH
Zhu
D000328:Adult; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D015277:Hotlines / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009516:New Mexico; D009825:Oklahoma; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology*