title: Expanding the reach of the Quitline by engaging volunteers to market it in hospitals and shopping venues - a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In Canada, although there are periodic media campaigns to raise awareness of Quitlines, these services are underused. We sought to determine if a dedicated kiosk, similar to that used in the retail industry but staffed by volunteers trained in smoking cessation techniques, would be effective method to enhance Quitline reach.
  
  
  METHODS
  We located a kiosk in the foyer of two hospitals and in two shopping malls in Edmonton, Canada between Feb/2012 and July/2014. The cessation intervention was based on the 5 A's approach. Outcome was assessed by number of visits to the kiosk and referral rates to the Quitline. A cross sectional survey among small sample of visitors was used for evaluation. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize visitors' data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 1091 kiosk visitors, 53.3 % were current smokers, of whom 93.3 % indicated a willingness to quit. Of these, 32.1 % requested a Quitline referral at the time of the kiosk visit. Referral requests to the Quitline were greater when the kiosk was located in the non-hospital setting 39.1 % compared to 31.1 % in hospitals (P = 0.2). Referrals from the kiosk represented 6 % of total referrals received by the provincial Quitline during the study period. Following referral the Quitline was able to reach 50 % of those referred, of those, 17 % refused to proceed. At seven month follow up 30 day abstinence rate was 3.8 % of smokers who wished quit. Visitors agreed that the kiosk design was interesting (89.3 %) and increased their knowledge about tobacco and cessation options (88.8 %) and encouraged them to take action to quit (85.7 %).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A "volunteer manned kiosk" can increase awareness of smoking cessation resources in the community and increase referral rates to Quitline services.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Fadi
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hammal
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Alyssa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chappell
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pohoreski
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Barry A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Finegan
keywords: Cessation; Promotion; Quitline; Smoking