The Dutch Heart Health Community Intervention 'Hartslag Limburg': effects on smoking behaviour.

Background And Methods: A pretest-posttest control group design with two posttests was used to evaluate the effects of a regional Dutch Heart Health Community Intervention on smoking behaviour and its determinants. At baseline, a cohort research population of 1,200 smokers was recruited in the intervention region and in a control region. Data was gathered by means of short structured telephone interviews.

Results: No significant differences were found between the intervention region and the control region on smoking behaviour and its determinants.

Conclusion: It is concluded that the regional intervention was unable to exceed secular trends in smoking cessation.