scholarly journals Barriers to Utilizing Medicaid Smoking Cessation Benefits

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 88-91
Author(s):  
Blaine Knox ◽  
Scott Mitchell ◽  
Ellen Hernly ◽  
Alicia Rose ◽  
Hilary Sheridan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Affordable Care Act ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
The United States ◽  
Improvement Project ◽  
Smoking Cessation Treatment ◽  
Medicaid Coverage ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Cessation Treatment

Introduction. Smoking is the number one preventable cause of deathin the United States. Under the Affordable Care Act, Kansas Medicaidcovers all seven FDA-approved smoking cessation therapies.However, it is estimated only 3% of Kansas Medicaid smokers usetreatment compared to the national estimate of 10%. The objectiveis to determine systemic barriers in place that prevent optimal utilizationof Medicaid smoking cessation benefits among KU MedicalCenter Internal Medicine patients. Methods. For this quality improvement project, a population of 169Kansas Medicaid smokers was identified who had been seen at the KUInternal Medicine Clinic from January 1, 2015 - February 16, 2016.Phone surveys were completed with 62 individuals about smokingstatus, interest in using smoking cessation treatment options, andawareness of Medicaid coverage of treatment. Results. Of the 62 respondents, 24 (39%) were prescribed pharmacotherapyand 41 (66%) were interested in using smoking cessationtreatment. There were eight who had quit smoking. Of the remaining54 smokers, 31 (57%) were unaware that Medicaid would coverpharmacotherapy. Of 24 participants who received a prescription forpharmacotherapy, 13 (54%) were able to fill the prescription at no costusing the Medicaid benefit. Conclusion. The majority of respondents were interested in usingsmoking cessation treatment, yet three main barriers existed to usingMedicaid smoking cessation benefits: physicians not prescribingtreatment to patients, patients not aware of Medicaid coverage, andinadequate pharmacy filling. Improved physician and patient awarenessof Medicaid coverage will facilitate more patients receivingsmoking cessation therapy and ultimately quitting smoking.KS J Med 2017;10(4):88-91.

Brief Physician-Initiated Quit-Smoking Strategies for Clinical Oncology Settings: A Trial Coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

2003 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 355-365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Schnoll ◽  
Bin Zhang ◽  
Montserrat Rue ◽  
James E. Krook ◽  
Wayne T. Spears ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Lung Cancer ◽  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Usual Care ◽  
Cancer Patients ◽  
Smoking Cessation Treatment ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Cessation Treatment ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Physician Smoking

Purpose: Although tobacco use by cancer patients increases the risk of relapse, diminishes treatment efficacy, and worsens quality of life, about one third of patients who smoked before their diagnosis continue to smoke. Because patients have regular contact with oncologists, the efficacy of a physician-based smoking cessation treatment was evaluated. Methods:Cancer patients (n = 432) were randomly assigned to either usual care or a National Institutes of Health (NIH) physician-based smoking intervention. The primary outcome was 7-day point prevalence abstinence at 6 and 12 months after study entry. Results: At the 6-month follow-up, there was no significant difference in quit rates between the usual care (11.9%) and intervention (14.4%) groups, and there was no significant difference between the usual care (13.6%) and intervention (13.3%) groups at the 12-month follow-up. Patients were more likely to have quit smoking at 6 months if they had head and neck or lung cancer, began smoking after the age of 16, reported at baseline using a cessation self-help guide or treatment in the last 6 months, and showed greater baseline desire to quit. Patients were more likely to have quit smoking at 12 months if they smoked 15 or fewer cigarettes per day, had head and neck or lung cancer, tried a group cessation program, and showed greater baseline desire to quit. Finally, there was greater adherence among physicians to the NIH model for physician smoking treatment for patients in the intervention versus the usual care group. Conclusion: While training physicians to provide smoking cessation treatment to cancer patients can enhance physician adherence to clinical practice guidelines, physician smoking cessation interventions fail to yield significant gains in long-term quit rates among cancer patients.

scholarly journals Are Smoking Cessation Treatments Associated with Suicidality Risk? An Overview

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. SART.S33389
Author(s):  
J. Kim Penberthy ◽  
J. Morgan Penberthy ◽  
Marcus R. Harris ◽  
Sonali Nanda ◽  
Jennifer Ahn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Behavioral Therapy ◽  
Smoking Behavior ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Smoking Reduction ◽  
Smoking Cessation Treatment ◽  
Quit Smoking ◽  
Cessation Treatment ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Relationship

Risk of suicidality during smoking cessation treatment is an important, but often overlooked, aspect of nicotine addiction research and treatment. We explore the relationship between smoking cessation interventions and suicidality and explore common treatments, their associated risks, and effectiveness in promoting smoking reduction and abstinence. Although active smokers have been reported to have twofold to threefold increased risk of suicidality when compared to nonsmokers, 1 4 research regarding the safest way to stop smoking does not always provide clear guidelines for practitioners wishing to advise their patients regarding smoking cessation strategies. In this article, we review pharmacological and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) options that are available for people seeking to quit smoking, focusing on the relationship between the ability of these therapies to reduce smoking behavior and promote abstinence and suicidality risks as assessed by reported suicidality on validated measures, reports of suicidal ideation, behaviors, actual attempts, or completed suicides. Pharmacotherapies such as varenicline, bupropion, and nicotine replacement, and CBTs, including contextual CBT interventions, have been found to help reduce smoking rates and promote and maintain abstinence. Suicidality risks, while present when trying to quit smoking, do not appear to demonstrate a consistent or significant rise associated with use of any particular smoking cessation pharmacotherapy or CBT/contextual CBT intervention reviewed.

Exploring the role of telehealth: A novel approach to group-based smoking cessation treatment for men incarcerated in a rural state prison

2021 ◽  
pp. 1357633X2110347
Author(s):  
Pamela Valera ◽  
Sarah Malarkey ◽  
Nadia Smith ◽  
Christopher McLaughlin
Keyword(s):  
Smoking Cessation ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Video Conferencing ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Smoking Cessation Treatment ◽  
Cessation Treatment ◽  
Smoking Behaviors

Introduction Tobacco smoking remains an important public health issue in the United States (US), specifically among people who are incarcerated. There is little to no information about smoking behaviors of incarcerated people in rural areas and there is a lack of resources for smoking cessation interventions in rural settings. Telehealth might be efficient for delivering care to incarcerated people in rural areas. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of delivering group-based smoking cessation treatment via telehealth to incarcerated male smokers in a rural prison. Methods A 6-week group-based smoking cessation treatment program was conducted with 1-month follow up. Video conferencing was used from Weeks 2–5 to deliver treatment. A cross-sectional survey was administered collecting measures including criminal justice experience, smoking behaviors, withdrawal and triggers, mental health, physical health, and substance use. Baseline exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) levels were collected at Session 1, and a final CO level at Session 6 and 1-month follow-up. Results Twenty ( n = 20) incarcerated male smokers were recruited from a rural prison facility. The majority of the inmates were White (85%). Approximately, 80% of the inmates smoked about 20 or more cigarettes per day, and on average smoked for 28 years (SD = 9). Most inmates scored a moderate or high dependence score on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence. Conclusion Telehealth programs such as video conferencing smoking cessation treatment ought to be implemented to reduce tobacco-related disparities among incarcerated smokers housed in rural prisons.

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