The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: Kansas has a higher prevalence of smoking among pregnant women (12.4%) compared to the national prevalence rate of 11.8%. To address this issue the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Tobacco Use Prevention Program provided statewide training to health care providers regarding prenatal smoking cessation services. The goals of the project were threefold: 1) to educate providers on the 5A's of tobacco cessation, 2) Inform them of the Kansas Tobacco Quitline services for tobacco cessation currently available in the state, and 3) to provide a financial incentive to develop a system-wide change that would address tobacco use/cessation in their practice setting.

Methods: Ten strategically-located communities in Kansas were selected to hold the training sessions. All program fees were waived to interested participants. The didactic session included a) information about the Tobacco Use Prevention Program, b) the 5A's of tobacco cessation, c) pharmacological therapies useful for tobacco cessation, d) information about the tobacco cessation Quitline, and e) how to apply for the stipend. In addition, participants who attended the training and applied for the stipend were eligible to receive $10.00 for every fax referral sent to the Quitline to help a pregnant woman quit smoking.

Results: 300 health care providers attended the training sessions representing private and public health institutions. From those in attendance, 75 (25% of participants) applied for and received the $500 stipend. In the first two months following the initiation of the training over 100 pregnant smokers were referred to the Quitline.