Assessing smoking-cessation programs Does the 5A pro...( 9% of the smokers. Looking deeper smok...),Health

9% of the smokers. Looking deeper, smokers who asked for help were more likely to receive advice (81%) and assistance (81%) than smokers who did not ask (67% and 37%, respectively). In addition, smokers who received more of the 5A's were more satisfied with their health maintenance organizations.

Writing in the article, Virginia P. Quinn, PhD, states, "The strongest predictor of these cessation services was a request for helpThis is of concern since only 27% of smokers in this study asked for help, and even among the presumably more motivated smokers planning to quit, only a third requested help. Limiting tobacco treatment to smokers who ask for help overlooks many who are interested in quitting, but are unaware of the services available from their health providersEffective tobacco control, however, requires offering cessation services to all smokers. Even light smoking carries substantial health risks, and lighter smokers may be less aware of this danger."

While there was substantial compliance with the USPHS clinical guideline for treating tobacco dependence, there is still room for improvement. Dr. Quinn continues, "Health plans may be able to increase the effectiveness of their tobacco control efforts by encouraging smokers to ask their physicians for help. Importantly, smokers expect to receive the 5As cessation treatments and are more satisfied with health plan services when clinicians comply with the national guideline. This should provide encouragement to physicians to treat smokers and an incentive to healthcare organizations to support delivery of tobacco-cessation services."

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19-Jul-2005

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