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

Abstract #71866

Vance Rabius, ABD MA¹, Alfred L. McAlister, PhD², Angela Geiger, MBA³, Joanne Pike, MA LPC⁴, and Ronald Todd, MSEd³. (1) School of Public Health, American Cancer Society/University of Texas - Houston, 1825B Kramer Lane, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78758, 512-651-4691, vrabius@cancer.org, (2) Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas-Houston School of Public Health, 7000 Fannin, Suite 2530, Houston, TX 77030, (3) National Home Office, American Cancer Society, 1599 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30329, (4) National Cancer Information Center, American Cancer Society, 1825B Kramer Lane, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78758

During June 2000 ¨C May 2001 the American Cancer Society conducted a randomized trial of telephone counseling that was promoted through mass media advertising in Houston and nearby cities. More than 3,500 current smokers were enrolled in the study. All callers who were ready to make a serious quit attempt within the next two weeks were randomized to receive either self-help booklets through the mail or booklets and up to five sessions of telephone counseling. Baseline and twelve-month follow-up data were collected by telephone. The proportion of study participants in the 18-25 age group was 12%, only slightly less than in the population as a whole. Younger smokers reported a mean daily use of 18 cigarettes and an average of 7.2 previous quit attempts. In the baseline interviews, younger smokers had high mean ratings for perceived social pressures toward quitting, but low ratings of perceived social support for their cessation attempt. Twelve-month quit rates were significantly higher among study participants who received telephone counseling than among those who received self-help booklets only (36% vs. 11%, p<0.01). Younger smokers did not use NRT frequently (7%). Sample size precluded meaningful quit rate analyses as a function of NRT use. Based on these findings we have begun to promote telephone counseling more actively for this age group. Further research will examine how young people can be mostly effectively recruited to and served by both telephone and Internet services.

Learning Objectives:

• Attendees and participants to this session will be exposed to the components of telephone cessation counseling, appropriate methods of evaluation, and informed of the effects of telephone counseling on smoking cessation among younger smokers.
• Learning objectives: At the conclusion of the session the learner will be able to: Understand components of telephone cessation counseling Understand methods that are used to evaluate telephone cessation services. Discuss the characteristics of younger smokers who utilized the ACS Quitline. Discuss the effects of telephone counseling on smoking cessation among younger smokers.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Youth

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: American Cancer Society
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: I am the evaluation manager for the American Cancer Society's Smokers' Quitline

Handout (.ppt format, 212.0 kb)