Readiness of Accredited Social Health Activist Workers for Tobacco Cessation Counseling after a Brief Intervention in Odisha, India: A Quasi-experimental Study.

AIM: The aim of the study was (1) to explore the baseline beliefs and practices of accredited social health activist (ASHA) workers of Khurda district of Orissa with respect to tobacco cessation and (2) to assess whether a brief intervention will be effective in improving the beliefs and practices of ASHA workers. The results of this study could be utilized by policy makers for framing important strategies for tobacco cessation in rural areas utilizing ASHA workers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental study (before and after comparison) was performed in Khurda district of Orissa to find out whether a brief intervention could improve the beliefs and practices of ASHA workers related to antitobacco counseling in rural areas. A 14-item structured, interviewer-administered questionnaire, written in English (translated in Odiya), was used. The final sample size was estimated as 135. Data were entered into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (version 21) for analysis.

RESULTS: All the mean belief items, practice items, degree of preparedness, and interest in training scores of study population increased significantly from baseline to postintervention. The study population showed a statistically significant improvement in postintervention composite belief and composite practices score.

CONCLUSION: The majority of ASHA workers had positive beliefs and favorable practices after attending a brief intervention toward smoking cessation in their community. After attending the intervention, nearly half of the respondents felt themselves either somewhat or very well prepared for tobacco cessation. Most of them showed their interest toward getting further training in the field.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Training programs and regular tobacco cessation activities should be planned in the primary health-care delivery system of India.