Feasibility of promoting smoking cessation in small worksites: an exploratory study

The workplace is recognized as an appropriate site for smoking cessation efforts, but little is known about promoting cessation at smaller worksites. The goal of the present study was to identify strategies for promoting smoking cessation in worksites employing 10-100 workers. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 employers in small businesses in the manufacturing-labor and hospitality-service sectors; and eight focus groups were conducted with 59 smokers employed in these sectors. Employers mentioned practical barriers to implementing cessation activities and reluctance to intervene in employees' personal health decisions. Nevertheless, both employers and smokers thought it was desirable and appropriate for employers to promote cessation resources to people who want to quit. Discrepancies existed between the worksite activities favored by employers and those endorsed as potentially useful by smokers. Smokers expressed interest in incentive programs, contests, and nicotine replacement products; employers favored providing information. Both groups were generally unaware of smoking cessation resources available through health plans or in the community. Results suggest that interventions should attempt to increase knowledge about available cessation resources and support for cessation at the workplace. Contests, incentives, and free samples of nicotine replacement products might be feasible and effective for promoting cessation.