Computerized smoking cessation program for the worksite: treatment outcome and feasibility

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Behavioral Science
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Worksite smoking cessation programs are crucial for improving employee health and reducing healthcare costs.
• Traditional interventions may not fully engage all employees, necessitating innovative approaches.
• Computer-delivered interventions offer scalability and accessibility for workplace health promotion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a computer-delivered smoking cessation program integrated into a worksite setting.
• To compare a combined intervention (computerized nicotine fading and stop-smoking contest) against a contest-only approach.

Main Methods:

• Fifty-eight employees from a VA Medical Center were randomized into two groups.
• Intervention group received a computer program featuring nicotine fading and a stop-smoking contest.
• Control group received only the stop-smoking contest.

Main Results:

• The computer-delivered intervention group exhibited non-significantly higher abstinence rates compared to the contest-only group.
• Marginally lower carbon monoxide (CO) levels were observed at 3- and 6-month follow-ups in the computer group.
• Participants in the computer group smoked cigarettes with lower nicotine levels at 10-day and 6-month follow-ups.

Conclusions:

• A computer-delivered smoking cessation program, incorporating nicotine fading and a contest, shows potential effectiveness in worksite settings.
• The intervention may contribute to reduced smoking intensity and potentially higher quit rates, warranting further investigation.
• This approach offers a scalable and accessible method for workplace smoking cessation initiatives.