title: Evaluation of the CHOICES program of peer-to-peer tobacco education and advocacy.
abstract: CHOICES is a consumer driven program for addressing tobacco in people with mental illness that employs mental health peer counselors. Since 2005, CHOICES has conducted over 298 community visits reaching more than 10,000 smokers with mental illness (about 2500/year). A telephone based outcome study was conducted in 102 outpatient smokers who received a CHOICES peer-to-peer session. At 1-month follow up participants (N = 86; 84%) reported smoking an average of 13 cigarettes per day which was significantly reduced from a baseline of 19 (P < 0.001). Twenty-five individuals (29%) tried to quit smoking in the month after the peer session and another 47 (55%) reduced their smoking. Feedback from smokers about the program was positive. Most (N = 59, 71%) said it was a lot easier to talk with a consumer about smoking compared to their psychiatrist or staff. Peer-to-peer communication about tobacco use can be effective to increase awareness and change smoking behaviors.
authors.affiliation: Division of Addiction Psychiatry, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 317 George Street, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-2008, USA. jill.williams@umdnj.edu
authors.forename: Jill M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Martha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.forename: Marie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verna
authors.forename: Mia Hanos
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Kunal K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Galazyn
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Szkodny
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molnar
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kley
authors.forename: Marc L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Steinberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003256:Community Participation; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010379:Peer Group; D016730:Program Development; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013689:Telephone; D016896:Treatment Outcome