A smoking cessation pilot program

National health-care costs are continuing to climb and employers in Hawaii and across the nation are forced to increase their share of the burden. To limit these costs, worksite health promotion programs are increasing in number and in scope. Smoking control programs in particular now rank as the most prevalent type of worksite program; as the disability, absenteeism, and early death on the part of smokers have been well-documented as contributing to the cost of health care. Our research describes a year-long, pilot smoking-cessation program implemented at Hawaiian Telephone Company. Our program used a combination of behavioral-modification, social support and incentives technique to assist people to stop smoking or to maintain their nonsmoking behavior. The 12 volunteer participants provided a multiethnic, long-term, heavy smoker employee sample. Survey results at 1 year demonstrated that 4 of them quit smoking (quit rate = 50%), 2 reduced their tobacco intake, 2 dropped out of the program and continued to smoke. The 4 who had entered the program for maintenance purposes remained smoke-free. Cost-benefit analysis yielded conservative estimates indicating that the program had paid for itself and saved an additional $350 a year per participant who remained a nonsmoker.