Quit Happens: A community clinic‐based, multitiered smoking cessation intervention

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the "Quit Happens" program launched to reduce tobacco use in low-income populations in a federally qualified nonprofit health center with clinics in Washington and Idaho. Quit Happens was implemented in 2015 and involved a public health nurse, patient, provider, clinic, health system, and community components. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: This smoking cessation program was assessed using a pre-post evaluation design. Nine clinics in a single system of federally qualified nonprofit health centers participated in this program. INTERVENTION: The Quit Happens program was implemented across nine clinics in Washington and Idaho. A specialized public health nurse led the tobacco cessation training of all clinic staff and assisted with development of the smoking cessation program. The 5A model was used as the framework for the training. MEASUREMENTS: The proportion of patients identifying as a current or former smoker was measured using data extracted from electronic health records. RESULTS: Declines in patient reports of currently smoking were observed between 2016 and 2018. The percent of current smokers identified in electronic health records decreased 18.7% and percent of former smokers doubled. CONCLUSION: This community-based tobacco cessation program had wide clinic and community support and self-reported smoking behavior declined over time. A public health nurse's leadership in offering training and program development around tobacco cessation to a local community organization can contribute to reductions in smoking rates.