MODELS FOR PRACTICE
FOCUS AREA: TOBACCO USE
Program
Name:
Stickers-Suckers-Smokers Pregnancy Tobacco Cessation Program
Location:
Healthy
People 2010 Objective: 27
Web
Address:
http://www.rmhp.org
Smoking
is associated with low birth weight infants and preterm deliveries.
Stickers-Suckers-Smokers Pregnancy Tobacco Cessation Program is a collaborative
effort to reduce the incidence of smoking-related preterm births and low birth
weight infants in rural
Blueprint: The
program represents a collaborative effort between Rocky Mountain Health Plans,
Rocky Mountain Health Foundation (RMHF¾a 501[c][3]), Hilltop
Community Resources B4 Babies and Beyond program, Mesa County Tobacco Education
Coalition (MCTEC), and March of Dimes. The core staff consists of a Rocky
Mountain Health Plans care coordinator and obstetrics (
The program provides assessment, education, and
incentives for patients. Caregivers get educational information, a chart
sticker program that identifies smokers for follow-up and tracking, and
“train-the-trainer” educational programs. Pregnant women who smoke are
identified, through entry into the B4 Babies and Beyond program, by health care
providers and by RMHP OB screeners.
Pregnant women who smoke and agree to participate in
the program receive one-on-one assessment of stage and counseling at the point
of entry (physician office, B4 Babies, or RMHP). They are sent quit kits, and
their primary care providers are notified of the patient’s participation. The
primary care providers play a vital role as screeners, educators, counselors,
and supporters by closely tracking the patient’s progress at each prenatal
visit.
One strength of the program is providing care
providers with the tools to screen and counsel patients. Counselors and
providers use the 5A’s Method (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, and Arrange) to
help patients to quit or reduce smoking. Prochaska stages of change modified
for pregnancy is also used.
Making a Difference: Birth certificate data from
2001 in
To date, 570 prospective clients have been seen,
and 213 smokers have been identified. Of those, 100 clients agreed to enroll in
the program. Of the 100 clients, 16 percent agreed to either quit or reduce
their cigarette use to under five per day. The low birth weight rate in
Beginnings: Rocky Mountain Health
Plans spearheaded the development of the smoking cessation program for pregnant
women in
The program is funded through a variety of
sources. The Rocky Mountain Health Foundation obtained a grant from the March
of Dimes to fund the program initially. Community businesses and organizations
have also contributed to maintaining the program’s success.
Challenges and Solutions: Although the program has completed Year One,
plans are underway to expand the program’s services and service area. The
program hopes to expand the smoking cessation program to two additional
counties.
The
program has also expanded to include a dental care component specifically for pregnant
women. Evidence indicates that there is a link between periodontal disease and
preterm labor. Pregnant women can receive no-cost to reduced-cost dental care
through the Marillac Dental Clinic.
The
program is publicized through word of mouth, brochures, community programs, and
presentations by the Rocky Mountain Health Plans case manager. She has
presented to the Colorado Care Council, a statewide organization composed of
obstetricians, perinatologists, neonatologists, and related practitioners.
Janice
Ferguson, RNC, Rocky Mountain Health Plans Perinatal Care Coordinator
Stickers-Suckers-Smokers
Pregnancy Tobacco Cessation Program
Rocky
Mountain Health Plans
Phone:
(970) 244-7890
Fax:
(970) 248-5012