WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study by the
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) Research Institute and researchers at the
Perelman School of Medicine at the University
of Pennsylvania, published today in the New England
Journal of Medicine, finds that employer-sponsored smoking
cessation programs with financial incentives are associated with
higher rates of quitting smoking and sustained abstinence. Findings
of the study, conducted among a sample of CVS Health colleagues and
their relatives and friends, helped shape an innovative smoking
cessation program for CVS Health colleagues that will launch in
June 2015.
"More than 50 years after the release of the first Surgeon
General's report on the harmful effects of tobacco, smoking still
remains the leading cause of preventable illness and death in the
U.S. While as a society, we have made significant strides in
curbing rates of smoking, there is still a clear opportunity to
make an even greater impact," said Troyen A. Brennan, MD, MPH,
executive vice president and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health and
a study co-author. "As we think about novel approaches to smoking
cessation, these findings provide evidence that financial
incentives can be a powerful motivator."
The researchers randomly assigned approximately 2,500 CVS Health
colleagues and their family and friends to one of four
incentive-based smoking cessation programs or to usual care, which
consisted of informational resources and free access to a
behavioral-modification program and nicotine-replacement therapy.
Across all of the incentive-based programs, participants were
eligible for up to $800 for
successfully quitting smoking, but the programs differed in how
incentives were accrued and disbursed. Two of the programs required
participants to pay an upfront deposit of $150, which was reimbursed if participants
successfully quit smoking. Overall, study participants who enrolled
in any of the four incentive-based programs were nearly three times
more likely to quit smoking than those who received usual care
alone. In addition, although participants assigned to the groups
requiring an upfront deposit were more likely to decline
participation than those in the pure incentive-based programs,
deposit programs led to nearly twice the rate of abstinence from
smoking at six months among people who would have accepted either
type of program.
"This study is one of the first to compare incentive programs
that first require deposits and programs that entail pure rewards
to promote healthy behaviors," added Scott
D. Halpern, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine,
Perelman School of Medicine at the University
of Pennsylvania and lead author of the study. "The results
are fully consistent with the behavioral theory that people are
typically more motivated to avoid losses than to seek gains.
Although the need to make monetary deposits deters some people from
participating, deposit-requiring incentive programs can produce
robust, long-term results in helping to change complex health
behaviors."
As part of CVS Health's purpose of helping people on their path
to better health, CVS Health will launch 700 Good Reasons,
an innovative smoking cessation program for its colleagues and
their dependents who smoke or use tobacco of any kind. Set to
launch next month, the program was developed based on key learnings
and insights gained from this new research in order to create an
incentive program that would both encourage participation and
result in sustained success in quitting smoking. Program
participants are required to pay a $50 deposit and can earn up to $700 as well as a refund of their full deposit if
they commit to quit and are successful. The financial incentives
will be paid to participating employees who test tobacco-free at
six and 12 months. In addition, those enrolled will also be
encouraged to participate in CVS/minuteclinic's Start to StopĀ®
smoking cessation program which offers a personalized quit plan,
nicotine replacement therapy and support to help stay on track.
"Last year, we made a commitment as a company to be tobacco-free
as we strive to fulfill our purpose of helping people on their path
to better health and that includes our colleagues," said
Lisa Bisaccia, executive vice
president and Chief Human Resources Officer, CVS Health. "The
research we conducted with the University of
Pennsylvania provided us with important information about
what can motivate and help our colleagues stop smoking. We are
excited to offer this innovative program to our colleagues who want
to quit smoking as we foster a healthy workplace and
workforce."
CVS Health stopped selling tobacco products in all CVS/pharmacy
locations in September 2014 to
support the health and well-being of its patients and
customers.
The CVS Health Research Institute is focused on contributing to
the body of scientific knowledge related to pharmacy and health
care through research collaborations with external academic
institutions, participation in federally-funded research, analysis
and sharing of CVS Health data sources and coordination of pilot
programs and initiatives. CVS Health Research Institute findings
support a continuous quality improvement environment, which
encourages product innovation and development to benefit CVS Health
patients, clients and their members.
The study was also supported by a grant from the National Cancer
Institute (CA159932) and a grant from the National Institute on
Aging (AG036592).
For more detail on the data, please visit the following link:
http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1414293
About CVS Health
CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) is a pharmacy
innovation company helping people on their path to better health.
Through its 7,800 retail drugstores, nearly 1,000 walk-in medical
clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with more than 70
million plan members, and expanding specialty pharmacy services,
the Company enables people, businesses and communities to manage
health in more affordable, effective ways. This unique integrated
model increases access to quality care, delivers better health
outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more
information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at
www.cvshealth.com.
Media
Contact:
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Christine
Cramer
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Christina
Beckerman
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CVS Health
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CVS Health
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(401)
770-3317
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(401)
770-8868
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christine.cramer@cvscaremark.com
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christina.beckerman@cvscaremark.com
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