Joint effort of internet, quit-line and primary care in smoking cessation

*Jakobina Arnadottir
Public Health Institute of Iceland

Sveinbjorn Kristjansson
Public Health Institute of Iceland

Topic: Psychobehavioral interventions
Track: Practice
Type: Poster presentation

     Full text: Not available
     Slides: Not Available
     Last modified: March 28, 2006

Abstract
Tobacco smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the western society[1], demanding effective intervention strategies. Smoking cessation is considered one of the most important aspects of tobacco control [2].

In European comparison Iceland has been in the lead in tobacco control (i.e. legislation and price) except for smoking cessation. Studies have shown that doctors and nurses in primary healthcare are lacking support systems to effectively provide smoking cessation [3].

The use of modern technology is widespread in Iceland, with 86% having access to the internet (mostly broad band) and 98% of homes having access to mobile phones [4]. Due to wide spread access to modern technology there is a great potential of using the internet and telephone in smoking cessation.

The current project is run by the Public Health Institute of Iceland. The aim is to integrate an interactive website, proactive telephone quitline and the primary health care.

The interactive website offers facts, various tests, a diary, FAQ's, tailored advice and discussion forums for people attempting to quit. Furthermore the site provides social support. The website visitors are encouraged to use the national quit-line and their local primary health care for further support.

The quit-line is both reactive and proactive and assists both the public in tobacco cessation and acts as support for health care professionals in their tobacco cessation work. The service is provided by specially trained nurses and is a mixture of behaviour therapy, motivational interviewing techniques, and pharmacological consultation. Callers are encouraged to use the website and their local primary health care for further support.

The primary health care professionals are offered training in motivational interviewing as a smoking cessation technique. Furthermore they are encouraged to refer patients to the website and the quit-line as well as getting support and advice concerning their work.

Joint efforts of an interactive website, a quitline and the primary health care may maximize the effect of smoking cessation on a national level. Data indicates that GPs having access to a quitline are more likely to provide smoking cessation service at their clinic [5].

The evaluation of the project will include process evaluation, which components are mostly used and by whom, as well as evaluation of the efficacy of the service.

Our vision is that an interactive website, proactive quit-line and primary healthcare units build a network where each component can work together, support each other and refer people to the appropriate agent in the network for further support.

References
1. Mokdad, A.H., Marks, J.S. Stroup, D.F. et al. Actual causes of death in the United States, 2000. JAMA 2004; (291):1238-1245.
2. World Bank. Curbing the epidemic: governments and the economics of tobacco control. Washington (DC): The World Bank. 1999
3. Helgason, AR. & Lund, K. General practitioners' perceived barriers to smoking cessation-results from four Nordic countries. Scandinavian Journal of Public Health 2002; 30(2):141-147.
4. Statistics Iceland. IC tecnology in Icelandic housholds and individuals' use of computers and the internet. Statistical Series 2005;1: 1-54. (in Icelandic)
5. Boldemann, C., Gilljam, H., Lund, K., Helgason, A.R. Smoking cessation in general practice - the effects of a quit-line. Nicotine & Tobacco Research (in press).