Tobacco Treatment Outreach to Reduce Disparities for Primary Care Populations

The objectives of this project are to develop and evaluate a multi-level approach to tobacco treatment for low-SES and minority patients. The components of this intervention would include Integrated Voice Response(IVR)-facilitated systematic outreach, linkage to a tobacco treatment specialist, free Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT) directed at the patient, and integration of this program with both an individual\'s primary care physician through an electronic health record (EHR), as well as referral to community resources to address the socio-contextual barriers to tobacco cessation. To achieve these objectives, this intervention will test an innovative model of systematic outreach to low-SES and minority smokers using systematic phone outreach (including cell phones which are particularly prevalent among minority and low-SES groups), coordinated with the PCP, using both a cost-effective technology and a dedicated tobacco treatment specialist to increase smoking cessation in these populations. The proposed intervention will have multiple levels of influence (patient, PCP) and provide linkages to community resources. If successful, this model could be generalized to other health systems with an EHR, which are increasingly being promoted to improve the safety and quality of health care. Hypothesis 1 (Reach and Effectiveness): An EHR-linked, IVR-mediated personalized treatment program for low-SES and minority smokers can reach these patients to increase quit rates and use of tobacco treatment effectively. Hypothesis 2 (Adoption and Implementation): An EHR-linked, IVR-mediated personalized treatment program for low-SES and minority smokers can be adopted across a variety of practice settings and be consistently implemented across diverse patient populations.