title: Efficacy of team-based financial incentives for smoking cessation in the workplace.
abstract: Worksite smoking cessation programs offer accessibility of the target population, availability of occupational health support, and the potential for peer pressure and peer support. The purpose of this study was to identify the efficacy of the financial incentives given to various teams in the workplace. St. Paul's Hospital's employees were enrolled. Each team of employees consisted of smoking participants and non-smoking fellow workers from the same department. The financial incentive of 50000 won (about $45) was rewarded to the team for each successful participant-not to individual members-after the first week and then after one month. If the smokers in the team remained abstinent for a longer time period, the team was given an incentive of 100000 won for each successful participant after 3 and 6 months. A total 28 smoking participants and 6 teams were enrolled. Self-reported abstinence rates validated by urinary cotinine test at 3, 6, and 12 months after the initial cessation were 61%, 54%, and 50%, respectively. Smokers with high nicotine dependence scores or those who began participation 1 month after enrollment initiation had a lower abstinence rate at 3 months, but not at 6 and 12 months. Participants who succeeded at smoking cessation at 12 months were more likely to be older and have a longer smoking duration history. The financial incentives given to teams could be promising and effective to improve long-term rates of smoking cessation. This approach could use peer pressure and peer support in the workplace over a longer period.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Dong
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hea Yeon
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jick Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon Hui
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Kyoung
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Myung Sook
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hwa Sik
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea. mdlee@catholic.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Sang Haak
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003710:Demography; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D015397:Program Evaluation / Q000379:methods*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000191:economics*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D017132:Workplace
keywords: Team; incentives; smoking cessation