The range and availability of smoking cessation services in Ireland

1. The range and availability of smoking cessation services in Ireland  L. Currie1; S. Keogan1; P. Campbell2; M. Gunning3 Z. Kabir1 ; V. Clarke1 and L. Clancy1 1Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society, 2Health Service Executive, Dublin North East, 3Health Service Executive, Irish Health Promoting Hospitals Network • Introduction • Tobacco related mortality accounts for 7000 deaths per annum in Ireland, 1500 of which are due to lung cancer. While measures have been implemented in Ireland to discourage people from starting to smoke, attention must also be paid to smoking cessation in order to achieve an appreciable reduction in smoking related mortality. Ireland is currently ranked second in Europe for treatment of smokers on the Tobacco Control Scale; however, much more could be done to support smoking cessation among Ireland’s smokers. • Objective: • To assess the range and availability of smoking cessation services in Ireland with emphasis on the type and intensity of intervention and service distribution relative to need. • Methods • Database of smoking cessation services throughout Ireland developed • 93 Smoking cessation service (SCS) providers identified • Questionnaire tool developed covering the following areas: • Background, training of staff providing the service • Range, intensity and frequency of services offered • Service setting, location and resources • Questionnaire piloted among 6(6.4%) of the sample and modified • 77 SCS providers were deemed valid for inclusion in the study • Descriptive analysis using SPSS performed • Results • Sample • Response rate was 81.8% (63/77) • Non-responders (n=14) were from: • HSE West (3/25; response rate 88.0%) • HSE South (4/16; response rate 75.0%) • HSE Dublin Mid-Leinster (4/22; response rate 81.8%) • Psychiatric (5), General Hospital (1), Community (2) and Health Promotion (6) service settings. • Service Provider Profile • 53(84.1%) of providers have more than 2 years experience • Providers come from various backgrounds: • Nursing (46; 73.0%) • Health Promotion (10; 15.9%) • Other: pharmacy, addictions counselling, medicine, physiotherapy, environmental health (5; 8.0%) • All had some specific smoking cessation training • Service Profile • Most common form of support provided is individual counselling with initial sessions averaging 40 minutes in length and weekly follow up sessions 20 minutes in length. • Table 1: Percentage of providers offering each support format to client groups • Results • Follow up • 36(57.1%) providers attempt to follow up all clients • 24(38.1%) providers attempt to follow up only those who set quit dates • Distribution of services relative to the distribution of smokers by Health Service Executive Area • Conclusions • This is the first study to have attempted a comprehensive review of smoking cessation service provision in Ireland. While smoking cessation services are available in all of the four Health Service Executive regions, there appears to be regional differences in resource allocation with HSE South and HSE Dublin Mid Leinster relatively underserved. In addition, there is little uniformity or consistency countrywide in the delivery of these services. Evidence would also suggest that there is no systematic follow up, and current review and evaluation is dependant on local resources. • At present there is no national structure in place to assist in this process and consequently no collation of local findings that could assist with an adequate review on the value and effectiveness of current smoking cessation services. This information is crucial if Irish health service planners are to ensure the integration of cessation services into an improved quality healthcare service, one that can adequately respond to the challenge of reducing tobacco use which is the most important public policy action that will bring about significant health gains. • Acknowledgements • Authors acknowledge project partners who include: • Institute of Public Health in Ireland • Irish Health Promoting Hospitals Network • Health Service Executive • This work was funded through a partnership grant from the HRB and the DOHC / OTC. For additional information, please contact: Laura Currie Researcher Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society lcurrie@tri.ie +353 1 489 3624