Tobacco Cessation | Center for Healthcare Policy and Research

Tobacco Cessation

  • Elisa Tong next to a smoke-free campus sign.
    NATIONALLY RENOWNED LEADERSHIP

    Elisa Tong, M.D., M.S

    Elisa Tong, a professor of internal medicine, has long been affiliated with CHPR. After starting as a junior research mentee, she has progressed into a nationally recognized scholar making significant contributions to local, state and national tobacco cessation efforts. Her research, which utilizes California state tobacco quitline data linked to electronic health records, has documented positive impacts on cessation efforts that can be implemented nationally. Her work has contributed to changes in the Medi-Cal tobacco policy and the smoking policies of University of California and California Community College campuses, changes that influence young adult behavior and have significant, life-long and positive health and cost effects.

    Learn more about Elisa Tong
Research highlights

The eConsult Cessation Services program, conducted in partnership with the Los Angeles County Department of Health Care Services, is delivered through the public/private clinic system in order to improve the reach, effectiveness and efficiencies of tobacco cessation services. Los Angeles County is the most populous county in the U.S. and has the largest population of tobacco users in California. The cumulative impact of this intervention research is expected to extend far beyond California.

CHPR researcher Elisa Tong testified to the Sacramento City Council about the health risks of fruit- and menthol-flavored tobacco products. Her efforts contributed to the City Council’s decision to ban the sale of these products in Sacramento; the ban took effect in 2020.

Diana Cassady, a former CHPR researcher, informed tobacco policy for multi-unit dwellings. Cassady and her colleagues examined voluntary smoke-free policy campaigns of state-funded local projects by focusing on the challenges they faced. Specifically, these researchers examined 40 local campaigns in California led by county health departments and community-based organizations and documented the barriers the local projects often had to overcome to enact policy.

CHPR's Associate Director Jeffry Hoch evaluated the potential cost-effectiveness of two different smoking cessation approaches: the current basic smoking cessation program consisting of screening for tobacco use, advice, and referral; and a best practice smoking cessation program that includes the current basic program with the addition of pharmacological therapy, counseling, and follow-up. The study results suggested that a best practice smoking cessation program could be a cost-effective option. 

CHPR researchers David Cooke, Daniel Tancredi and Patrick Romano assessed thoracic surgeon clinical practice regarding patient smoking cessation and thoracic surgeons' beliefs and practices on smoking cessation before lung resection. They found thoracic surgeons are divided on their beliefs and practices regarding smoking cessation before lung resection. Most believe patient factors are the main barrier to quitting and have concerns about disease progression while awaiting cessation.