Modifiable health behaviors and short-term medical costs among health plan members.

Purpose: Describe the relationship among modifiable health behaviors and short-term medical costs.

Design: Prospective study linking cross-sectional survey data that assessed modifiable risk behaviors with insurance claims.

Setting: A large health plan in Minnesota.

The impact of smoking-cessation intervention by multiple health professionals.

Background: Smokers have contact with many different types of health professionals. The impact of tobacco intervention by multiple types of heath professionals is not known.

Methods And Materials: As part of the 2003 Minnesota Adult Tobacco Survey, smokers (n=1723) reported on tobacco treatment by medical doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, or other health professionals.