Cochrane Review , U.S. Preventive Services Task Forcesuggested that Quitlineshave aneffective role in decreasing
smoking prevalence. A Quitline promises: evidence and practice based quality service, user convenience, service accessibility, operational manageability, effective promotion, user confidentiality, and easy proactive recruitment for target group.
Evidence and practice based quality service
Evidence and practice based quality service is delivered by appropriately trained qualified individuals. Continuous research is necessary for development of effective cessation protocols and contents to benefit individuals and communities in need for cessation service.
Sensitive to and respect the unique needs, values, and culture of service user
Quitlines employ different combinations of service modalities and range considerably in the size and scope of their operations. The populations they serve vary with respect to readiness to quit and cultural, linguistic, and psychological backgrounds. Quitlines also vary in addressing specific populations or communities such as tobacco users from low-income households, pregnant women, adolescents, and users of smokeless tobacco products, such as chewing tobacco.
High accessibility
Telephone operation eliminates many of the barriers of traditional cessation program.
Smokers are more likely to use a telephone service than a face-to-face program, because the former is more convenient for them. Because the low use of cessation services has hampered the usefulness of most programs, a more accessible form of service such as telephone counseling is much preferred when one is considering establishing a new program. Quitlines are particularly helpful for people with limited mobility, who live in rural or remote areas, and who do not have enough time to visit group cessation class or clinics. In addition, Quitlines also appeal to people who are reluctant to seek help provided in a group setting or individual program with face-to-face contact such as adolescent and women, in particular pregnant women due to their quasi-anonymous nature.
Operational manageability and effective promotion
A telephone operation allows services to be centralized in one site, which permits a certain economy of scale. Most traditional cessation programs are offered infrequently and require participants to wait for the next upcoming group meeting. Standardized training, quality control, and evaluation systems are better managed, and cost-saving is guaranteed in a single setting. These may be sufficient to enable Quitline to offer qualified and specialized service to users.
Also, centralized operation makes it easier to promote the telephone based cessation services because it is easy to tag the same toll-free number (in each language) on numerous media spots.
Provide a confidential and anonymous service
Organizations which manage Quitline hold in confidence any information obtained from service users, and respect their right to determine who will be provided with their personal information and in what detail. When personal information is required for teaching, research, or quality assurance procedures, care must be taken to protect the person’s anonymity and privacy.
Support other cessation program and clinical services
The telephone can be effective in proactively recruiting tobacco users into a cessation program. This is particularly useful with certain high risk populations, such as women who continue to smoke during pregnancy and do not attend any cessation program to quit smoking. A program’ s ability to proactively recruit smokers and counsel them by phone makes it a much more attractive option from a public health perspective.
