Stoke Primary Care Trust: An Innovative Approach to Improving Public Health

“We hope that this will now be used in PCT Stop Smoking services to help people to stop smoking.”
Professor Sarah Grogan

Stoke Primary Care Trust is responsible for improving the health of people living in Stoke-on-Trent. And in Stoke-on-Trent, just as it is nationally smoking amongst young women is increasing.

As smokers are generally resistant to stop-smoking messages and initiatives, Stoke PCT was looking for innovative ways to reverse the trend. They turned to us for help.

Led by Professor Sarah Grogan – who has previously conducted research in this area - we began testing the effectiveness of a computer programme that showed women smokers the damage that smoking does to their appearance.

Using groups of women smokers aged between 18 and 34, the programme showed participants a simulation of how their faces would age up to the age of 72 if they didn’t smoke, followed by a simulation of how they would age if they continued. And then we studied their attitudes to smoking.

The results were dramatic. Participants in the study were highly-motivated to quit smoking, and it was concluded that the age-appearance morphing techniques were highly effective.

We’re hoping that this programme will now be adopted by Stoke PCT and used in their Stop Smoking Services.

Our vast knowledge base and innovative thinking has helped businesses and organisations such as this to achieve greater success. Start finding out how we might help your business

• Downloadable version of this case study (PDF, file size: 286.34KB)