In Canada, the majority of people who smoke are of working age. According to Statistics Canada’s 2010 Canadian Community Health Survey, almost three-quarters of Canadian smokers are between ages 20 and 64. Therefore, workplaces are ideal settings to promote, provide and support smoking cessation efforts.
Smoking cessation benefits for employees range in scope but may include access to quit medication; smoking cessation hotlines; self-help resources; counselling; social media support; and smoke-free policies within the workplace.
Some employers are interested in providing smoking cessation support but simply don’t know how to get started. This group has increasingly turned to health promotion providers, such as public health authorities, to help them take action.
W.E. Can Quit
A successful example of this type of partnership is the W.E. (Windsor-Essex) Can Quit smoking cessation pilot project, led by the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit with funding from Health Canada.
The health unit partnered with six workplaces representing different sectors to offer a comprehensive smoking cessation program, with aspects tailored to individual workplaces based on their input and needs. The project received guidance and input from a steering committee of representatives from the six workplaces, as well as Pfizer Canada and local chapters of several nongovernmental organizations involved in tobacco control, such as the Canadian Cancer Society and the affiliated Smokers’ Helpline.
The primary goal of the project was to develop a comprehensive smoking cessation model that could be adapted for many different types of workplaces. The program aimed to package existing proven smoking cessation resources and supports in a way that would meet the specific needs of smokers in various workplaces.
One unique component was the recruitment of 10 pharmacies, selected based on geographical location and hours of operation. Pharmacists at these locations received specific training to ensure that the program direction, implementation and evaluation were being offered consistently by all pharmacists at all locations.
Smokers from all participating work sites were invited to meet with a participating pharmacist to complete brief intervention counselling and then plan up to six follow-up sessions to take place over a 12-week period.
During the initial consultation, pharmacists determined whether smoking cessation medication was indicated for the individual and which product was most appropriate. If coverage was not provided by the smoker’s benefits plan, the program covered the cost of up to a 12-week supply of medications and fees for all six of the follow-up pharmacist consultations. Pharmacists also helped interested smokers access the Smokers’ Helpline Fax Referral Program, which allows the helpline’s quit specialists to directly contact smokers rather than waiting for the smokers to initiate the process.
Positive results
During the first six months, 681 smokers—23% of the estimated 2,657 smokers at the six participating workplaces—were reached, and 240 participated in the program. Of the 124 participants who responded to the evaluation six months after the program ended, 40% reported that they had remained smoke-free. The success of the W.E. Can Quit pilot project shows the value that health provider/employer partnerships can have.
The W.E. Can Quit team is developing a user-friendly tool kit, scheduled to be available online at wecanquit.ca in July, for other health units and healthcare professionals in Ontario to use or adapt.
Neil MacKenzie is a manager of chronic disease and workplace wellness at the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit. nmackenzie@wechealthunit.org
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