Abstract
To illustrate multiple approaches and to assess participation rates adopted for a community based smoking cessation intervention programme in rural Kerala. Resident males in the age group 18-60 years who were 'current daily smokers' from 4 randomly allocated community development blocks of rural Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala (2 intervention and 2 control groups) were selected. Smoking status was assessed through house-to-house survey using trained volunteers. Multiple approaches included awareness on tobacco hazards during baseline survey and distribution of multicolour anti-tobacco leaflets for intervention and control groups. Further, the intervention group received a tobacco cessation booklet and four sessions of counselling which included a one-time group counselling cum medical camp, followed by proactive counselling through face-to-face (FTF) interview and mobile phone. In the second and fourth session, motivational counselling was conducted. Among 928 smokers identified, smokers in intervention and control groups numbered 474 (mean age: 44.6 years, SD: 9.66 years) and 454 respectively (44.5 years, SD: 10.30 years). Among the 474 subjects, 75 (16%) had attended the group counselling cum medical camp after completion of baseline survey in the intervention group, Among the remaining subjects (n=399), 88% were contacted through FTF and mobile phone (8.5%). In the second session (4-6 weeks time period), the response rate for individual counselling was 94% (78% through FTF and 16% through mobile phone). At 3 months, 70.4% were contacted by their mobile phone and further, 19.6% through FTF (total 90%) while at 6 months (fourth session), the response rate was 74% and 16.4% for FTF and mobile phone respectively, covering 90.4% of the total subjects. Overall, in the intervention group, 97.4% of subjects were being contacted at least once and individual counselling given. Proactive community centred intervention programmes using multiple approaches were found to be successful to increase the participation rate for intervention.
Highlights
To illustrate multiple approaches and to assess participation rates adopted for a community based smoking cessation intervention programme in rural Kerala
In a nationally represented case control study of smoking and death in India, it was reported that the annual death rate due to tobacco use in India is around 1 million of which 70% deaths will occur among the 30-69 age group (Jha et al, 2008)
Multiple Intervention approaches A total of four different approaches such as i) distribution of education materials on tobacco hazards during baseline survey, ii) sending invitation letters to the study subjects and communication over phone to key personnel in the locality for attending medical camp cum group counselling, iii) conduct of medical camp cum counselling and iv) individual counselling at four time points (2-4 weeks after the base line survey, 4-6 weeks, 3 months and 6 months)
Summary
The rise in population growth concomitant with the increase in tobacco use will result in more than 80% of tobacco related deaths in low and middle income countries by the year 2030 (Mathers and Loncar, 2006). In the second session (4-6 weeks time period), the response rate for individual counselling was 94% (78% through FTF and 16% through mobile phone).
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