Problem/Objective: Smokers say concern about health, access to lower cost stop smoking medications, and financial incentives are factors that motivate them to think seriously about quitting. This presentation presents the results from a series of studies conducted in New York State over the past five years that attempted to manipulate each of these factors in an effort to motivate smokers to call a quitline, make quit attempts and stop smoking.

Methods: Studies involved time limited interventions which were evaluated by tracking call volume to the New York States Smokers' Quitline and/or conducting population based telephone surveys to monitor response to different interventions.

Results: The findings reveal that making access to cessation services convenient can prompt quitting attempts. Cold calls to smokers resulted in over 40% of smokers agreeing to a transfer to a Quitline. The use of emotionally arousing mass media messages that emphasize the urgency of stopping smoking are noticed by smokers and promote quit attempts. The offer of free nicotine medications is also very effective in prompting smokers to call a Quitline, although quit success is not dependent on the amount of free medications sent to callers. Finally, monetary incentives are effective in getting smokers to make a pledge to quit smoking and encourage enrollment in a quit program. The relative cost-effectiveness of these different intervention approaches will be presented.

Conclusions: Large numbers of smokers can be motivated to make quit attempts through the use of mass media, the offer of free nicotine medications and financial incentives.