The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #70921

Janet Porter, MPH, Health Education Council, 3950 Industrial Blvd., Suite 600, West Sacramento, CA 95691, (916) 556-3344, sjporter@onemain.com and R. Scott Chavez, PhD, National Commission on Correctional Health, 1300 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago, IL 60657.

Incarcerated individuals (approximately 2.1 million people in the United States) are of low socioeconomic status and have limited preventative health care services. Although a large number of correctional facilities have policies that prohibit tobacco use, many do not and few provide cessation services for inmates. The National Network on Tobacco Prevention and Poverty (administered by the Health Education Council) and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care, collected data from approximately 500 correctional facilities in the United States to assess tobacco use policy implementation and cessation services. Facilities provided information on tobacco-free policy, availability of tobacco products in correctional facilities, cessation services offered, the use of a clinical guideline in the management of cessation for inmates, relapse among recidivists and the use of tobacco education and cessation curriculums specifically designed for incarcerated individuals. Results indicated that many correctional facilities prohibit tobacco use both within and outside the facility. Most inmates quit “cold turkey” upon being admitted to the facility and few facilities offer assistance to inmates to cope with cessation (i.e. nicotine replacement therapy, referral to state quit-lines, etc.). Of greatest concern is the high relapse rate of inmates upon release from the correctional facility indicating a need for the integrated use of a clinical guideline in the management of tobacco cessation within the correctional institution, cessation curriculums and educational materials specifically designed for the inmate population, and the need for integration of cessation management, including community support systems, in discharge planning.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
• List the number of correctional facilities in the United States with tobacco use policies.
• Describe the tobacco use behavior of incarcerated individuals and the cessation practices specific to this population.
• Develop or adapt a cessation program for use with incarcerated individuals in their own communities.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.