Integrating smoking cessation into worker training among Latino immigrant workers: development of a program

The prevalence of smoking among Latino immigrant workers needs to be addressed with culturally and linguistically appropriate smoking cessation programs. One innovative approach to reaching these workers is through worker health and safety training programs. These programs offer multiple opportunities to provide smoking cessation messages, a "teachable moment" to focus on health issues, and the likelihood that peers and family members will share these messages. A collaborative effort between an occupational health and safety training facility and a university utilizing Latino and non-Latino personnel developed a smoking cessation program integrated with worker health and safety training. Preliminary results of an evaluation of the program indicate that the program was able to reach a wide range of immigrant workers and improve their knowledge of the risks of smoking and the effectiveness of different methods of quitting smoking.