The role of health professionals in a community-based program to help women quit smoking

Background, Health professionals are credible sources of smoking cessation advice. This study describes changes in health professionals' reported prov ision of smoking cessation counseling activities for women during a communi ty health education project that took place in two intervention counties (I ) and compares these to reports from health professionals in two similar co mparison counties (C). Methods. Specific smoking cessation activities reported by physicians (I n = 73, C n = 73), dentists (1 n = 51, C 12 = 46), dental hygienists (I n = 3 8, C n = 44), family planning and WIC (Special Supplemental Food Program fo r Women, infants and Children) counselors (I n = 14 C ra = 16), and communi ty mental health counselors (I n = 57, C n = 23) were assessed by mailed su rveys at baseline, after 4 years of countywide interventions, and 2 years l ater. Results. Compared with health professionals in the comparison counties, sig nificant increases in smoking cessation training (P < 0.01) and in reported referral of women to stop smoking groups, support groups, and one-to one s upport were noted for physicians, family planning, and WIC counselors (P < 0.001); in training and referral to stop smoking groups and support groups by dentists and dental hygienists (P < 0.05); and in referral to support gr oups by community mental health counselors (P < 0.05). Significant increase s in setting quit dates (P < 0.05) and providing self-help materials (P < 0 .01) were al so noted for family planning and WIC counselors. These effects were no longer demonstrable 2 years after external support for the countyw ide interventions was withdrawn. Conclusions. We suggest that an important aspect of facilitating consistent smoking cessation advice and counseling from health professionals in the f uture will be the provision of a broader range of regularly available smoki ng cessation support systems within communities than is generally available at this time in the United States. a 2000 American Health Foundation and A cademic Press.