Programs | Tobacco Use Cessation Interventions

Tobacco-use cessation programs^1-5

Employee programs refer to activities that include active employee involvement, such as classes or telephone quitlines. Employee programs are frequently provided on-site at the workplace.

Education and social support programs in the workplace are effective

• One-on-one screening for tobacco use and tobacco cessation counseling with a health provider are effective in helping tobacco users successfully quit
• However, only 50% to 60% of smokers receive advice about quitting smoking from a health care provider, and only 39% of smokers are offered over-the-counter or prescription medication or counseling to support the quitting process
• Health risk appraisals (HRA) or employee health surveys in the workplace provide assessment and implementation opportunities. However, it is important to recognize that tobacco users do not always self-identify
• Identify the employees who use tobacco, such as through the use of an employee health survey or by screening employees for their tobacco status, and then provide follow-up counseling and treatment. Approaches may include referral to outside organizations or quitlines (state-based or self-contracted) that offer these services or bringing a health educator or tobacco cessation counselor on-site
• Counseling or assistance is usually delivered by trained counselors or health care providers. Use of telephone quitlines can initiate and reinforce a user’s efforts to quit. Telephone sessions usually follow a standardized approach to providing advice and counseling, and can be combined with other efforts, such as distributing materials about quitting, formal counseling sessions for an individual or group, or nicotine replacement therapies such as patches or gum