ASPO Abstracts
Smoking and Cessation Behaviors in Patients at Federally Funded Health Centers - United States, 2014
Category: Lifestyles Behavior, Energy Balance & Chemoprevention
Conference Year: 2020
Abstract Body:
Federally funded health centers provide care to the most vulnerable populations in the
U.S., including populations
with significant disparities in smoking prevalence. This study compared demographic
characteristics of adult
health center patients by smoking status and assessed exposure to and uptake of
evidence-based smoking
cessation treatment. This analysis used 2014 Health Center Patient Survey data and was
restricted to adults (>18
years) with non-missing smoking status (n=5,583). Univariate, bivariate, and
multivariable analyses were
conducted using complex sampling procedures. Overall, 28.1% were current smokers
and 19.2% were former
smokers. Current smokers experienced high burden of chronic disease and behavioral
health conditions. A
majority of current smokers reported wanting to quit in the past 12 months (79.0%) and
reported receiving advice
to quit from a healthcare professional (HCP) (78.7%). In a multivariable model, desire to
quit was strongly
associated with age, race, COPD diagnosis, >2 mental health diagnoses, and past 3
month use of marijuana. Few
former smokers (15.2%) reported using cessation treatment, though use was higher
among those who quit within
the previous year (30.6%). Although most health center patients who currently smoke
report a desire to quit, low
uptake of evidence-based treatment may reduce the number who attempt to quit and
succeed in doing so. In light
of the substantial burden of tobacco use among these patients, future efforts could focus
on unique personal,
HCP, or health system barriers to connecting to cessation treatments. Increasing access
to cessation treatments
within health centers could reduce disparities in smoking prevalence and improve
population health.
Keywords: smoking cessation; HRSA- supported health centers, disparities