Effectiveness of a Tobacco Cessation Program for Pregnant Medicaid Recipients

 

Audience: This presentation will benefit groups that work directly to plan, implement and evaluate tobacco cessation programs specifically aimed at the pregnant population. Although the program was designed for a Medicaid Health Plan population, it can be applicable to a non –Medicaid populations.

 

Key Points: Results demonstrate a clear trend of program effectiveness among an Ohio Medicaid population. Program design utilizing unlimited inbound and outbound calls, access to free cell phones, targeted education and support materials as well as enlisting support from the Provider community has enabled women in this population to overcome multiple barriers to achieving tobacco cessation or greatly decreasing the amount of tobacco used during pregnancy. By including their medical home (MD, OB nurse, and health plan case manager), members are given the best chance for success, which translates to a healthier start for newborns.

 

Educational Experience: The audience will learn the key points during the presentation by comprehending the program design, evaluating the outcomes and applying critical thinking skills to ascertain how to apply components of the program to their current work.

Benefits: This presentation will demonstrate how our program successfully engages members in a Medicaid population through its comprehensive program design with results including reduction in the daily number of cigarettes smoked, quit rates and rates of maternity-related hospitalizations.  The audience will benefit by furthering their understanding of primary health concerns related to tobacco use during pregnancy and identify unique barriers to achieving tobacco abstinence during pregnancy.