Working our way towards best practices in quitline operations


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

4072.0: Tuesday, December 13, 2005 - Board 5

Abstract #116894

Tamatha C. Thomas-Haase, MPA, North American Quitline Consortium, 10459 East Osage Avenue, Mesa, AZ 85212, 480.361.8713, naqc@americanlegacy.org, Christopher Anderson, California Smokers Helpline, University of California at San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, Mail Code 0905, LaJolla, CA 94234, and Abby C. Rosenthal, MPH, Office on Smoking and Health, Centers For Disease Control, Rhodes k-50, Atlanta, GA 48202.

While the evidence base is clear that tobacco quitlines are an effective, even optimal, intervention to assist people in quitting, there is less evidence to guide quitline funders and service providers in operational issues related to providing this service. How best to promote services, the most effective protocols for pairing nicotine replacement with quitline counseling, and creating the most effective linkages with health care systems and insurers are just some of the important questions facing the field.

In this session, participants will learn about the ways in which the evidence base related to 2 operational aspects of delivering quitline interventions (using fax-referral systems as a linkage with the health care system and reaching priority populations with quitline services) is lacking. Two promising approaches will be shared. These approaches, while promising and innovative, are also hoping to become the basis upon which best-practices are established. Weaknesses of each approach will also be discussed.

Lastly, participants will learn about the North American Quitline Consortium's unique role in supporting efforts across the US and Canada that are moving us all toward quitline best-practices. Through activities such as implementing a minimal data set, hosting monthly best-practices conference calls, and supporting a quitline-specific research agenda and infrastructure, the Consortium and its members continue to build upon the existing evidence base in order to enhance the effectiveness of and access to quitlines in North America.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Understand the current gaps in the evidence-base pertaining to 2 aspects of quitline operations;
• Identify 2 promising approaches to these 2 different aspects of quitline operations;
• Understand the North American Quitline Consortium’s role in moving quitlines toward best practices as they relate to operations and in enhancing access to and effectiveness of quitline services.

Keywords: Tobacco,

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.

Tobacco Quitlines and Websites Poster Session

The 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition (December 10-14, 2005) of APHA