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Abstract #156609

Lisa Lieberman, PhD, CHES¹, Shelley Chanler, MPH², Maryanne Ferrara, MS², Una Diffley, MPH², and Sandy King, MPH². (1) Healthy Concepts Research, Inc., 29 Ardsley Drive, New City, NY 10956, 845-638-1619, llhealth@optonline.net, (2) Health Education, Rockland County Department of Health, 50 Sanatorium Rd - Bldg J, Pomona, NY 10970

Put it Out Rockland is an evidence-based smoking cessation program. Originally funded by the county's share of MST funds, now supported directly by the county, it is part of the Health Department's larger comprehensive tobacco control effort. The county's annual survey shows that while tobacco use has dropped to nearly 12% countywide, smoking rates are significantly higher among Latinos (17%, p<.000), and respondents with no health insurance (24.2% p<.000). The PIOR program, translated into Spanish and Creole, is offered by trained specialists from within the county's very low income Latino and Haitian communities but has struggled to reach and retain smokers in those groups. In 2005, a survey was conducted at adult education sites for speakers of English as a second language. Over 600 non-English speaking adults completed the survey, reporting higher smoking rates among Spanish speakers than all other languages (22.2% vs. 16.6%, p<.01). Few non-English speaking smokers had used or indicated they would use a group support program. Many did not believe in the efficacy or safety of NRT. The county now offers its PIOR One-on-One approach, based on the success of its group model, tailored to these specific needs. Staff provide NRT and individual counseling onsite after ESL classes, at WIC clinics, and at other locations serving non- English speaking and uninsured smokers. Multi-lingual materials focus on the safety and efficacy of NRT. Public health efforts can decrease tobacco use, but need a special focus on groups which have not historically been served by cessation resources.

Learning Objectives:

• Discuss the special needs of non-english speaking smokers in cessation efforts
• Identify ways to reach non-English speaking smokers who can benefit from a cessation program
• Identify unique approaches which can assist non-English speaking smokers (and other groups which have been underserved with cessation resources) to quit

Keywords: Vulnerable Populations, Smoking Cessation

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.