Promoting smoking cessation among community-living female smokers by training smoking cessation and reduction ambassadors

Background: Females are less willing than males to seek help from smoking cessation services; the present study examined how the use of these services by females could be enhanced by training young female ambassadors to deliver a brief intervention. Methods: We collaborated with the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association. Fifty of the association's Girl Guides served as smoking cessation and reduction ambassadors to deliver a brief intervention to at least two female smokers. The effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated by a one-group pre-test and repeated post-test design. We undertook data collection at baseline and at 1, 3 and 6 months. Results: In all, 106 female smokers received the brief intervention. At 6-month follow-up, the self-reported abstinence was 12.2%; the biochemically verified prevalence of quitting was 5.7%. Approximately 7% of participants were motivated to use smoking cessation services between baseline and 6 months. Conclusions: This study supports the effectiveness of a brief intervention in promoting smoking cessation for community-living female smokers in Hong Kong. However, the intervention could be enhanced by further promoting the use of smoking cessation services to female smokers.