28 Days Without - a new approach to nicotine dependence treatment in Finland

• Main Authors: Tarja Kristiina Ikonen, Tarja Tapaninen, Patrick Sandström
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Publishing 2018-06-01
• Series: Tobacco Prevention and Cessation
• Subjects: smoking cessation
• Online Access: http://www.journalssystem.com/tpc/28-Days-Without-a-new-approach-to-nicotine-dependence-treatment-in-Finland,90160,0,2.html

Introduction The Finnish tobacco-free municipalities’ project aims to help municipalities to make decisions to become tobacco-free as well as assisting in the implementation of the decision. Tobacco cessation support and introduction of new TDT methods is crucial in this development. The 28 Days Without tobacco dependence treatment group meetings are open for all types of nicotine addiction. Methods The Model consists of four weekly meetings. The themes are addiction, medication and other support, risks and relapses and worries and self-detection + monthly peer support meetings. Meetings are open and continuous. Quitters can choose which sessions to attend. 2017 the concept was complemented with online meetings, which are an alternative for quitters not willing or able to attend face-to-face meetings. Monitoring The participants fill in an online questionnaire before the first session, and follow-up questionnaires one month and six months after the first meeting Results It seems that since many have already tried to stop using tobacco several times before, they don’t necessarily need all the information that traditional tobacco cessation groups offer. This new approach is a tailored answer to their needs. Customer feedback has been invariably positive. According to the follow-up questionnaire answers the meetings have strengthened the participants’ willingness to stop using tobacco products, as well as their trust of being able to make the cessation decision. Approximately 50 percent of the respondents reported having stopped tobacco use during the meetings. Conclusions There is a need to create new quitting methods. The monitoring results show that the 28 Days Without model works well. The coverage of the model is already nation-wide, and effort will be put on efficient marketing of the model through diverse channels, including the health care system. Funding The gaming revenue of Veikkaus Ltd. managed by the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations.