The aim of this proposal is to develop and test an effective, commercially viable, self-help program for treating tobacco dependence in health care hospitals and HMOs, we will design a replicable training and counseling protocol with intervention aids to augment the NCI manual for physicians on """"""""How To Help Your Patients Stop Smoking."""""""" The Free & Clear self-help nicotine fading guide, developed and evaluated in an ongoing NCI-funded clinical trial, combined with counselor-initiated """"""""Quitline"""""""" calls found to boost long-term quit rates by 50%, will form the nucleus of the intervention. A novel """"""""instant"""""""" computerized assessment and triage instrument will be tested. We will pre-test protocols, materials and systems, then pilot-test the intervention strategy with about 50 smokers under the direction of 5-10 physicians in four health care facility. Evaluations will focus on feasibility, provider and patient acceptance, and overall cost-effectiveness. Evaluations will be carried out by questionnaires and through follow-up interviews with patients.
