Pilot Implementation of a Wellness and Tobacco Cessation Curriculum in North Carolina Group Homes.

Pilot Implementation of a Wellness and Tobacco Cessation Curriculum in North Carolina Group Homes. Community Ment Health J. 2015 Dec 28; Authors: Baker HM, Ranney LM, Goldstein AO Abstract Despite a steady decline in smoking rates in recent decades, individuals with mental illness continue to smoke at disproportionately higher rates than the general population. Adults with mental illness are motivated to quit and quit with rates similar to the general population when evidence-based cessation interventions are used. To build an evidence base for a wellness and cessation curriculum aimed at individuals with mental illness, the Breathe Easy Live Well (BELW) program was pilot tested in two group homes in North Carolina in the spring of 2014. Evaluators conducted pre- and post-implementation site visits and interviews with program instructors to assess outcomes as well as barriers and facilitators to implementation. Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that implementation was successful in both group homes, and the following themes emerged: (1) Training and technical assistance provided throughout implementation was sufficient; (2) Instructors used prior professional experiences and goal setting to facilitate program success and participant engagement; (3) Fostering positive coping strategies contributed to reports of reduced smoking; (4) Curriculum length may be a barrier to recruitment. Additional results included an increased int...
Source: Community Mental Health Journal - Category: Psychiatry Authors: Tags: Community Ment Health J Source Type: research