Housing evidence / case study · working draft
quit4u: deprived Dundee incentive programme
A deprived-community cessation programme combined weekly financial incentives with behavioural support and pharmacotherapy.
01 / THE APPROACH
What was tried
NHS Tayside developed quit4u for smokers in deprived areas of Dundee. People received behavioural support and cessation medication, with a financial incentive for each week they remained quit.
The offer combined pharmacy support, carbon-monoxide testing and rolling groups. Researchers examined the experiences of service users and staff as well as routine outcomes. People using quit4u between 2009 and 2011 were compared with similar smokers using other Scottish cessation services; participants were not randomly assigned.
02 / THE FINDINGS
What was learned
Adjusted comparisons found higher self-reported quitting with quit4u: 49.9% versus 33.7% at one month, 30.7% versus 14.2% at three months and 9.3% versus 6.5% at twelve months.
The evaluation suggested several elements helped people stay engaged: testing, rewards, pharmacy relationships, groups and medication. It cannot separate the effect of the incentive from those other elements. The declining rates also show why an early quit result is not the same as durable quitting.
03 / TRANSFER TO WALES
What Wales could learn
The programme combined pharmacy relationships, medication, groups, testing and weekly incentives. Continuing contact supported participation as well as checking smoking status.
Several components changed together, so the evaluation cannot identify one winning ingredient. The drop between early and twelve-month outcomes also matters when judging success.
Sources & review
Ormston et al., quit4u, Health Education Research 30(1):121–133, DOI 10.1093/her/cyu024. Public primary author abstract checked; comparison rates identified as self-reported in Table IV. Historical service evaluation, not a current service offer.
