Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #111450

Cathyann Feher, RN, MSN CTTS-M¹, Alice J. Dalla Palu, MPA, CAC², Michael Usino, MHS¹, Lisette Lahoz, BA³, and Glen Cooper, MA⁴. (1) Coalition for a Smoke Free Valley, 17th and Chew St, Allentown, PA 18105-7017, (2) Coalition for a Smoke-Free Valley, P. O. Box 7017, 17th & Chew, Allentown, PA 18105-7017, 610-402-4855, alice.dallapalu@lvh.com, (3) Latinos for Healthy Communities, 2442 Brodhead Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18020, (4) New Directions Treatment Facility, 2442 Brodhead Rd, Bethlehem, PA 18020

Methods: A counselor survey was completed to assess staff tobacco use, knowledge and willingness to counsel clients to stop using tobacco. A client survey was simultaneously conducted (available in Spanish and English) to determine client tobacco use, knowledge and willingness to participate in a Free tobacco treatment program.

Results: The counselor survey revealed the majority of staff was either former smokers(46%) or current smokers(11%). A total of 88% of the staff believed it was important to encourage tobacco users to quit. All clients that completed the survey were smokers and 87% of the smokers indicated a willingness to participate in a tobacco cessation program, while 71% believed that they could stop using tobacco while in treatment for other drug use.

Conclusions: Based on the survey results, a tobacco treatment pilot project was established. All counselors were trained in a basic brief tobacco treatment intervention. Two counselors received additional tobacco education to provide patient counseling to implement the pilot project. Protocols, including inclusion and exclusion criteria and a computerized documentation was established. Clients are currently participating in the Pilot Project that will conclude in March, 2005.

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will be able to describe the methods for integrating tobacco counseling into an outpatient drug treatment facility.

Keywords: Tobacco, Drug Abuse Treatment

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.