Reducing the amount of free NRT: impact on quitline outcomes

Audience: Quitline and cessation program administrators, researchers.

Key Points: The Florida Quitline changed its NRT disbursement policy twice, each time reducing the amount of free NRT offered per person.  Phase 1 callers were offered an 8-week supply, phase 2 callers a 4-week supply, and Phase 3 callers a 2-week supply. This presentation will share findings from an evaluation which examined the impact of these changes on participant outcomes.  The outcomes of interest are the numbers served, participation in quitline counseling, NRT use, and 7 month point prevalence abstinence. Caller data including demographics, baseline tobacco use, NRT delivery and calls completed were provided by the quitline vendor.  The evaluator conducted a 7-month follow-up survey with a random sample of participants, achieving a 46% response rate. The survey asked about quitting behaviors, NRT use, and current tobacco use. Preliminary results indicate that Phase 1 callers completed more calls and received more NRT as compared to Phase 2 callers. However, the quit rate actually rose slightly from Phase 1 to Phase 2.  These findings provide support for shifting quitline funds from NRT to counseling in order to serve a greater number of people. Results from Phase 3 are currently being analyzed and will be presented in the session.  

Educational Experience: The speaker will present evaluation results and discuss the application of findings for other programs and settings.

Benefits: Knowing the impact of providing different amounts of free NRT will help attendees make decisions about the best use of cessation program resources.