Promoting worksite smoking control policies and actions: The Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation (COMMIT) Experience

Background. As an important aspect of the COMMIT trial, worksite smoking-control consultations and supports were provided to employers in 11 diverse, moderate-sized communities. After a 4-year intervention period (1989-1992), impacts on worksite policies, support resources for smokers, and employee perceptions were assessed in these communities and in 11 matched Comparison communities. Methods. Data from two surveys are reported here. In each of the 22 COMMIT communities, a sample of worksites within each of four size strata were surveyed to determine worksite policies, activities, and resources regarding smoking. Data from employees were obtained from independent community-wide surveys of community residents. Results. Overall, 44% of the worksites surveyed reported having smokefree policies, with no differences between Intervention and Comparison communities. Thirty-seven percent of Intervention community worksites reported offering smoking cessation resources or assistance for employees during the period of the study, compared to 31% of Comparison community worksites (P = 0.04). Employees in Intervention communities, relative to those in Comparison communities, reported greater awareness of stop-smoking resources, but equivalent increases in worksite smoking bans. Conclusion. Although the level of worksite smoking-cessation activities was higher in Intervention than in Comparison communities, there remains a substantial need to increase the level of such activities and to integrate such activities with restrictive smoking policies. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.