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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Michelle Dresser, MPH, CHES¹, Sarah Sheffield, MPA², Kelly Larson, MPH¹, Joslyn Levy, BSN, MPH³, Lynn D. Silver, MD, MPH⁴, and Mary T. Bassett, MD, MPH⁵. (1) Public Health Detailing, Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette Street, New York, NY 10007, 212-676-2147, mdresser@health.nyc.gov, (2) Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10007, (3) Clinical Systems Improvement, Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10007, (4) Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 2 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10007, (5) Health Promotion Disease Prevention, NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 125 Worth St., New York, NY 10013

Background: In 2003, the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) initiated "Public Health Detailing" an educational outreach approach targeting healthcare providers in three underserved neighborhoods. Representatives deliver brief, targeted messages to clinical staff within the practice setting. Due to the positive response from these practices; in April 2005, Public Health Detailing expanded to implement an eight-week smoking cessation campaign targeting all neighborhoods throughout New York City.

Methods: Representatives promoted key agency recommendations: 1) assess smoking status and readiness to quit at every visit; 2) provide brief counseling on cessation techniques; and 3) prescribe/recommend medications to assist patients in becoming tobacco-free. Provider knowledge and current practices were measured using a baseline assessment at initial visit and re-administered on follow-up to evaluate change in practice or policy. Simultaneously, DOHMH launched a consumer media campaign - the Nicotine Patch Program - where individuals could receive a free 6-week supply of nicotine replacement therapy.

Results: 2,389 practices were contacted during the campaign, totaling 8,360 interactions with healthcare staff. Of those contacted, 3,000 (42% of NYC PCPs) were primary care physicians. Self-reported evaluation of MDs assessing smoking status at every visit rose from 62.4% at initial visit to 80.7% at follow-up.

Conclusions: The citywide smoking cessation campaign succeeded in reaching clinical staff throughout New York City. It provided a systematic and practical way of providing large quantities of materials to support smoking cessation efforts.

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

• Describe the public health detailing approach to improving clinical practice
• Describe the citywide smoking cessation campaign
• Illustrate the importance of conducting a citywide public health detailing campaign simultaneously with a consumer media campaign

Keywords: Health Departments, Health Promotion

Related Web page: www.nyc.gov/health/publichealthdetailing

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation