Change of government’s subsidization policy improves smoking cessation services: a cross-sectional study from the perspectives of physicians

Abstract

BackgroundThe Taiwanese government increased financial subsidies for smoking cessation services in 2012. We aimed to evaluate the effects of this new policy on smoking cessation services from the physician’s perspective.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional nationwide survey. Physicians who provided smoking cessation services for more than ten patient encounters in the preceding year of the new policy (February 2011 to March 2012) were recruited. The questionnaire was developed by two experts and was validated by a committee consisting of 11 delegates.ResultsWe sent a total of 1,319 questionnaires. The response rate was 45.9 %. The majority of respondents were male (88.4 %), middle-aged (65.3 %), and worked as family physicians (56.1 %). Most physicians agreed that the new policy had increased the number of patients seeking smoking cessation, increased patients’ willingness to adopt pharmacotherapy, helped physicians to prescribe medications, improved patients’ adherence to medications, and improved quality of care. These changes were most prominent in medical centers. Changes in the practice of the 5As (ask, advise, assess, assist, arrange) were moderate. Among different medical settings, the most significant change was an increase in the expenditure on smoking cessation medications.ConclusionsThe new subsidization policy in Taiwan has improved smoking cessation services. Overall, physicians reported positive effects of the new policy. Further study is warranted to evaluate the long-term influence of the policy.

Government’s subsidisation policy and utilisation of smoking cessation treatments: a population-based cross-sectional study in Taiwan

“…In that study, only 18.7% of medical institutions reported that they increased their allocation of physicians for providing smoking cessation services, and 55.0% of physicians reported an increase in the willingness of patients to adopt pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation after the SCPS was introduced. 18 This suggests that the low incentives given to medical institutions to hire smoking cessation providers and provider behaviour are responsible for the non-significant increase in use of smoking cessation treatment since the SCPS was introduced.…”

The role of smoking cessation programs in lowering blood pressure: A retrospective cohort study

“…At the same time, we sought to elucidate whether and how a well-established smoking cessation program could contribute to healthier outcomes. Because there have been so few reports on the health outcomes of participants 16,21,22 , we attempted to measure the effects of attending a health promotion program, specifically a smoking cessation program, on blood pressure.…”