Impediment profiling for smoking cessation: application in the worksite

Abstract

Purpose: To replicate results of a pilot smoking cessation study and demonstrate applicability to a worksite setting.

Methods: Smokers employed by a community hospital participated in an onsite smoking cessation program. Participants used an "impediment profiling" instrument to rate personal barriers to cessation and were assigned to between one and seven interventions. Cessation was defined as carbon monoxide concentration in expired air of < or = 10 ppm.

Results: Fifty-one employees participated. Subjects lost to follow-up were assumed to be smoking, resulting in a 39.2% 1-year quit rate; 47.5% of program completers (n = 40) were smoke-free at 1 year. Self-reported quit rate at 2.5 years was 25.5% (17 lost to attrition assumed to be smoking) with 38.2% of program completers smoke-free.

Discussion: This study suggests that impediment profiling holds promise far smoking cessation and demonstrates feasibility in a worksite setting. Further evaluation of this intervention in the context of randomized controlled trials is warranted.