Reaching the Unreachable: Helping the Working Underserved Quit Tobacco

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Reaching the Unreachable Helping the Working
Underserved Quit Tobacco

• Melissa Watford, EdM
• Cindy Laton
• FirstHealth of the Carolinas
• Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Program

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Background

• FirstHealth of the Carolinas - a private,
  non-governmental, not-for-profit health care
  network serving 15 counties in the mid-Carolinas.

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Background

• W.K. Kellogg Community Voices/American Legacy
  Foundation Initiative
• FirstHealth of the Carolinas mission is to
  provide disadvantaged communities with tobacco
  use prevention education and opportunities for
  tobacco cessation services for those ready to
  quit.

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Background

• The targeted counties for this project are poor
  with many people in low wage manufacturing jobs,
  often having no insurance coverage. With North
  Carolina as the largest producer of tobacco in
  the United States, tobacco use has economic,
  political and social as well as health
  ramifications.

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Program Overview (cont.)

• Occupational Sites
• Through initial surveys conducted at occupational
  sites
• 23 of employees report occasional/regular
  cigarette use
• 72 indicate willingness to attend a program, but
  only 5 have ever attended a program
• 19 uninsured males 57, females 43
• Occupational Site Results
• Provided cessation services at 12 work sites
• 107 employees have completed the program with 78
  tobacco free upon completion
• 25.7 6-month quit rate
• 79 patients financially assisted with oral
  medication/nicotine replacement therapy

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Why Provide Cessation Services at an Occupational
Site?

• Accessibility
• Support systems
• Improved health for the employee
• Increased employee production
• Benefit to the employee from the employer
• Convenience for employees who have more than one
  job or family commitments

Sources Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention Office on Smoking and Health,
USDHHS, Wellness Council of America, American
Cancer Society, Making your workplace smokefree
A decision makers guide 1996 Center for Health
Promotion and Publications. The Dollar (and
sense) Benefits of Having a Smoke-Free Workplace.
Lansing, Michigan Michigan Tobacco Control
Program 2000.
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Getting Started

• Referral from Health Plan
• Occupational Environmental Scan
• Surveying of Employees
• Informational sessions
• Employee sign-up
• Begin sessions

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Occupational Site Champions
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Policy
PINEWILD COUNTRY CLUB OF PINEHURST
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Support Systems
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Support Systems (continued)
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Employee Recognition
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Accessibility
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Accessibility (continued)
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Improved Employee Health and Production
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Challenges

• Classes are on worker time, so less buy-in
  from worker
• Most work sites are not smoke-free
• Manager involvement in cessation classes
• Culture
• Tobacco climate in North Carolina

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Successes and Sustainability

• Quit rates
• Policy change
• Occupational site buy-in
• Increased request for services
• Linkage with the health plan
• More work place and community sites
  becoming smoke-free

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Resources
www.workingsmokefree.com ()NC's web-page devoted
to helping businesses develop tobacco-free
policies) www.endsmoking.org (Employers Smoking
Cessation Guide developed by Professional
Assisted Cessation Therapy PACT)
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Contact Information
Melissa Watford [phone] mwatford_at_firsthealt
h.org Cindy Laton [phone] claton_at_firstheal
th.org