Community Based Tobacco Cessation Programme

The study was extended over a period of one year. There were 3 interventions given at the interval of 3 months each. The post intervention questionnaire regarding knowledge, attitude and practices was planned filled at the end of the programme i.e. 9th to 12th month from start of the programme. A community based tobacco cessation programme, which has the potential of being first of its kind, for women, was planned by the department of Preventive Oncology for the women in a geographical community in and around Mankhurd in Mumbai,for providing tobacco cessation counseling services. Doorstep services were provided to these women as they were unlikely to avail the tobacco cessation services at the clinic in TMH since their priority is managing household chores and caretaking of their family. The selected community was a part of women cancer screening programme namely; Tata Memorial Hospital Mobile Outreach Programme (TMH-MOP). The women who were current tobacco users at the time of screening under TMH-MOP were enrolled for this study.The women were intervened thrice at an interval of 3 months each and tobacco cessation counseling was provided at each intervention. The post intervention data was collected at the end of all the 3 counseling sessions. Sessions were held for rapport building with the participant women. Questionnaire were filled to record the information on the details of different forms of tobacco usage, factors responsible for initiation and continuation of tobacco use, pre-intervention and post-intervention knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding tobacco habits and severity of tobacco use (Fagerstroms scale). This programme was aimed at creating awareness and educating women regarding the health hazards of tobacco use, at the community level, at their door step.