Evaluation of the innovative tobacco cessation systems change model in rural and underserved sites in Florida

Introduction: In Florida, 20% of deaths are attributed to cigarette smoking. The state has made progress in combating tobacco use. Since 2007, 500,000 less adults smoke and by 2010, prevalence among adults reached its lowest point ever, with a rate of 17.1%. Moreover, 63.5% of adults who smoked have quit. The CDC Best Practices Comprehensive Tobacco Control Programs and U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guidelines serve as frameworks for a broad based systems change approach which increases access to community tobacco cessation counseling services in partnership with primary care prevention health systems. Objective: To identify correlations between subjects who quit smoking and comprehensive systems change model implemented at level of primary care settings in rural and underserved communities in Florida. Methods: Evaluate implemented tobacco cessation systems-change model in safety net sites and community based organizations within targeted 19 counties. The process identifies essential strategies to increase health care providers capacity to treat tobacco dependency, assess outcomes including participation, interval quit rates, relapse impact and effect of implemented systems change model. Cessation rates are compared over two years. Results: After the implementation of model, there were 2,990 registered smokers ages 18 to 88, (mean 51.3 years) in 2010-2011, and in 2011-2012, 3033 smokers ages 18 to 92 (mean age of 50.8 years). The overall quit rate in 2010-2011 was 23%, and 27% in 2011-2012. Conclusion: An innovative tobacco cessation program strengthened capacity of safety-net targeted communities delivering effective tobacco use treatment, cessation, counseling resources, and prevention services through institutional systems-change.