This study evaluated an attempt at 38 workplaces to help employees stop or reduce their levels of smoking. In past research, worksite support groups, in combination with a media smoking cessation program and self-help manuals, were found to be effective in helping employees quit smoking. Unfortunately, recidivism was found at the follow-up evaluations. The present study replicated the results of the previous worksite smoking cessation program with support groups, a television intervention, and self-help manuals. At this postpoint, 42% of employees provided groups plus incentives were abstinent compared to only 15% who were only provided self-help materials. An important difference in this study was that there were also monthly follow-up support groups and incentives. Work settings can be a source of stress and conflict, which can precipitate relapse. At a 12-month follow-up, 26% of those participants who were provided support and incentives were abstinent compared to 16% who were only provided the self-help materials.

We evaluated a worksite smoking cessation program that employed multicomponents including support groups, incentives, and competition. The combination of incentives and other components increased participation rates to over 80%. Forty-two percent of smokers were abstinent at six months, compared to 13 percent of a control group (difference 29 percent, 95% CI 9, 49). (Am J Public Health 1990; 80:205-206.) Introduction Klesges, Cigrang, and Glasgow' and Klesges and Cigrang2 reviewed seven controlled worksite programs having incentives and/or competition. The average post-test cessation rate was 44.8 percent, and the follow-up cessation rate was 45.9% (if one study by Stachnik and Stoffelmayr3 with an exceptionally high rate is excluded, the average 13-month follow-up rate was 26.1 percent).In January of 1988, we began pilot work with a worksite incentive system, that built on our previous work.4,a We report the results below.