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March 3rd, 2011:

Promoting tobacco cessation via the workplace: opportunities for improvement

Mar 3rd, 2011
by Editor.
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ABSTRACT
Introduction Little research exists on the prevalence of
evidence-based tobacco cessation practices in
workplaces, employer promotion of state-sponsored
quitlines and predictors of these practices.
Methods Cross-sectional analysis of the 2008 Healthy
Worksite Survey, a telephone survey administered to
Washington employers with 50 or more employees
(n¼693). The objectives were to describe workplaces’
implementation of evidence-based tobacco cessation
practices and identify key predictors of implementation in
order to highlight opportunities for interventions.
Results Among these employers, 38.6% promoted
quitting tobacco, and 33.8% offered insurance coverage
for cessation medications and counselling, 27.5%
referred no-smoking violators to cessation services, and
5.7% included the state-sponsored quitline in health
promotion messages. Larger workplaces and workplaces
with a wellness staff, committee or coordinator had
greater insurance coverage for tobacco cessation,
communications promoting tobacco cessation, and
promotion of the state-sponsored quitline (p<0.01).
Workplaces with a wellness staff, committee or
coordinator referred more violators of no-smoking
policies to cessation services (p<0.01).
Conclusions In Washington State workplaces do little
to promote tobacco cessation by their employees. The
lack of tobacco cessation promoting practices at small
businesses, restaurants and bars, and businesses
without wellness personnel indicates an opportunity for
finding and reaching current smokers at businesses with
limited resources. By adopting inexpensive prevention
efforts, such as promoting the state-sponsored tobacco
cessation quitline, employers can help employees quit
smoking and, thereby, assist in improving employee
health and lower medical costs.

ABSTRACTIntroduction Little research exists on the prevalence ofevidence-based tobacco cessation practices inworkplaces, employer promotion of state-sponsoredquitlines and predictors of these practices.Methods Cross-sectional analysis of the 2008 HealthyWorksite Survey, a telephone survey administered toWashington employers with 50 or more employees(n¼693). The objectives were to describe workplaces’implementation of evidence-based tobacco cessationpractices and identify key predictors of implementation inorder to highlight opportunities for interventions.Results Among these employers, 38.6% promotedquitting tobacco, and 33.8% offered insurance coveragefor cessation medications and counselling, 27.5%referred no-smoking violators to cessation services, and5.7% included the state-sponsored quitline in healthpromotion messages. Larger workplaces and workplaceswith a wellness staff, committee or coordinator hadgreater insurance coverage for tobacco cessation,communications promoting tobacco cessation, andpromotion of the state-sponsored quitline (p<0.01).Workplaces with a wellness staff, committee orcoordinator referred more violators of no-smokingpolicies to cessation services (p<0.01).Conclusions In Washington State workplaces do littleto promote tobacco cessation by their employees. Thelack of tobacco cessation promoting practices at smallbusinesses, restaurants and bars, and businesseswithout wellness personnel indicates an opportunity forfinding and reaching current smokers at businesses withlimited resources. By adopting inexpensive preventionefforts, such as promoting the state-sponsored tobaccocessation quitline, employers can help employees quitsmoking and, thereby, assist in improving employeehealth and lower medical costs.

http://tobaccocontrol.bmj.com/content/20/4/305.full.html

3 March 2011

Download PDF : Cessation Workplace, USA. TC 11 07