Smoking cessation services provided by the National Health Insurance Service

ABSTRACT

Smoking cessation services are an important component of preventive medicine. Physicians can help smokers quit smoking by assessing their dependence and motivating them during their clinic visits. Brief advice provided by doctors is a simple and very cost-effective method of smoking cessation. The most effective method of helping smokers stop smoking is combining pharmacotherapy with counseling and behavioral interventions. In early 2015, the National Health Insurance Service started a smokingcessation support program that covered consultation and drug fees across the country. More than 400,000 smokers registered in this program and received assistance from doctors in 2016. The success rate at 6 months after registration was approximately 40%, which is comparable with that of smoking cessation clinics run by public health centers in local areas. Additional efforts are needed to increase the coverage levels of smoking cessation services in Korea.