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CDC COMMUNITY GUIDE: Tobacco Use and Secondhand Smoke Exposure: Reducing Out-of-Pocket Costs for Evidence-Based Cessation Treatments

CDC

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

Reducing tobacco users' out-of-pocket costs involves policy or program changes that make evidence-based treatments, including medication, counseling or both, more affordable. To achieve this, new benefits may be provided, or changes may be made to the level of benefits offered that reduce costs or co-payments.

Policy and program changes may be communicated to tobacco users and health care providers to increase awareness, interest in quitting, and use of evidence-based treatments.

The Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) recommends policies and programs to reduce tobacco users' out-of-pocket costs for evidence-based cessation treatments based on strong evidence of effectiveness in increasing the number of tobacco users who quit.

Evidence is considered strong based on findings from clinic-based trials and population-based policy evaluations of reduced out-of-pocket costs for both cessation counseling and medications. Clear communication of benefit changes to both tobacco users and healthcare providers increases use and impact of these interventions.

Results / Accomplishments

Eighteen studies were included in the review (5 from the previous review and 13 from the more recent search period). Included studies offered evidence-based treatments identified in Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update (Fiore et al., 2008).

-Quit rates among tobacco users at follow-up periods of 3.5 months or longer: median absolute increase of 4.3 percentage points (interquartile interval [IQI]: 0.2 to 6.0 percentage points; 12 studies)
-Quit attempt rates: median absolute increase of 2.8 percentage points (IQI: -0.6 to 9.1 percentage points; 6 studies)
-Use of evidence-based cessation treatments among tobacco users attempting to quit: median absolute increase of 7.0 percentage points (IQI: 1.4 to 18.3 percentage points; 11 studies)
-Reductions in the prevalence of tobacco use were seen in two different populations (state employees and retirees in Wisconsin; Medicaid recipients in Massachusetts) after the provision of a new tobacco cessation benefit (2 studies).

About this Promising Practice

Primary Contact
The Community Guide
1600 Clifton Rd, NE
MS E69
Atlanta, GA 30329
(404) 498-1827
communityguide@cdc.gov
https://www.thecommunityguide.org/
Topics
Health / Alcohol & Drug Use
Source
Community Guide Branch Epidemiology and Analysis Program Office, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Location
USA
For more details
Target Audience
Adults