A Pilot Clinical Trial of Smoking Cessation Services Implemented in the Workplace for Service Industry Employees

Am J Health Promot. 2019 May;33(4):516-524. doi: 10.1177/0890117118795987. Epub 2018 Aug 28.

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of implementing evidence-based tobacco treatment at the workplace for service industry employees.

Design: Randomized trial using 6 paired worksites (3 test and 3 delayed intervention control sites).

Setting: US Northeast city.

Participants: Employees were recruited from university food service settings.

Intervention: Comprehensive smoking treatment was provided at the workplace including individual counseling, free pharmacotherapy (dual nicotine replacement therapy or varenicline), and 5 weeks of contingency management that reinforced abstinence or reductions in smoking to encourage progress toward quitting.

Measures: Primary measures included a smoking status survey administered at the end of treatment at the test sites and before treatment began at the delayed intervention control sites.

Analysis: Analyses compared rates of quit attempts and successful abstinence for at least 24 hours between the test and delayed intervention control sites.

Results: Twenty-five employees were enrolled in treatment. The majority were single (12/25), black (16/25), and reported their educational attainment as high school or less (18/25). Employees in the test (vs delayed intervention control) sites reported higher rates of quit attempts (66.7% vs 12.5%, P = .02) and success quitting for at least 24 hours (53.3% vs 12.5%, P = .08). Participants rated the treatment as very helpful overall.

Conclusion: Findings support the feasibility and efficacy of providing workplace-based smoking cessation services and may inform strategies to increase access to treatment.

Keywords: smoking; smoking cessation; substance abuse; tobacco; tobacco control; treatment; underserved populations; workplace.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Counseling
  • Female
  • Food Services*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Occupational Health Services / methods*
  • Pilot Projects
  • Smoking / epidemiology
  • Smoking Cessation / methods*
  • Smoking Cessation Agents / therapeutic use
  • Tobacco Use Cessation Devices
  • Universities
  • Varenicline / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Smoking Cessation Agents
  • Varenicline