Tobacco Quitline toll-free number on tobacco packets in India: An analysis on outcome

On 1 September 2018, 2 year later the launch of National Tobacco Quitline Services (NTQLS), new health warnings on tobacco products packets consisting of NTQLS toll-free number came into effect in India. The present study aimed to measure the effects of printing tobacco Quitline number on tobacco packets on calls to NTQLS. All calls to the NTQLS were monitored over 1 year, six months before and after the tobacco Quitline number on tobacco packets came to effect. Call details such as tobacco user’s demographic profile, tobacco use habit, follow-up and quitting status also extracted through Call Detail Record (CDR) files from the server of NTQLS for the purpose of this study. Calls hit on IVR (Interacted Voice Response) increased by 7.7 times, on an average 6064 calls daily hit on NTQLS’s IVR after the new health warning consisting of toll-free number on tobacco packets came into effect. Tobacco user registration increased by 3.3 times (18039 vs 5469). Overall, 264.5% (4790) relative increment in tobacco quitters, as it were only 1314 quitters six months before the new health warning. 100% callers cited tobacco packets as the primary source of tobacco Quitline toll-free number. The helpline number of Quitline on tobacco packet showed a strong potential to aware the public about the tobacco Quitline. This has increased the number of callers calling to National Tobacco Quitline Services and registrations for tobacco cessation. Sharp increase in calls during the first three months of new health warning and latter diminishing rate of calls is the concern for further study.