The Role of Smoking Cessation Program - Case Study Example

Running head: EVIDENCE PORTFOLIO & DISCUSSION PAPER Evidence Portfolio & Discussion Paper [Writer’s name] [Institution’s name] Evidence Portfolio & Discussion Paper Introduction This discussion paper critically analyses the current literature on rle of smoking cessation program, with a focus on the role the health care worker (HCW) plays in such programs. Background into the incidences of smoking in Australia is examined, in conjunction with data regarding the number of smokers. A systemic search of the literature will be conducted along with a review and critique of the existing literature on smoking cessation programs and healthcare workers. Finally, discussion and recommendations are made for the implications for practice with suggestions regarding future research. In general, health care workers perform an important role in the promotion and encouragement of smokers in smoking cessation programs .Apart from this a poster of a smoking cessation program is given in the Appendix of the paper. Back ground Smoking is the number one preventable cause of premature death and early onset of disease of the primary smoker. However, the earlier the smoker quits smoking, the greater the chances of reversing the risk of tobacco-related diseases (e.g. gum diseases, throat cancer, emphysema, lung cancer, heart attack and stroke). Therefore, quitting not only benefits the primary smoker but society at large. Approximately 54% of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Australians use tobacco (Commonwealth Department of Human Service 2008); tobacco is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. For this reason cession programs are introduced to control the issue . However, these cessation programs are usually led by health care workers so that they can effectively quit smoking. These workers need to be trained to complete their job effectively . Critique of literature Ample research has been done on the role of health care professional and tobacco cession programs to help smokers quit. Power, Grealy and Duncan Rintoul’s study (2009) proved that even Australian programs for which there had been ingenious thorough evaluations were needed. A further four programs were identified that had limited evaluation information available. These studies present support that face-to-face counseling or quit support utilized along with nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) my probably help increase quit rates of smoking among Indigenous people (Power, Grealy and Duncan 2009) . It was noted by Ellerman& Ford (2008) that Training Aboriginal Health Workers to offer brief smoking cessation intervention with patients may also help in increasing quit rates. Evidence concerning interventions is more inadequate. The literature of Carter (2006) proves that the importance of healthcare workers is quite understandable and important in the entire process of reducing tobacco consumption in Australia . Acceding to the literature and statistics of ABS (2009) In 2008, 62% of chain smokers had attempted to give up or lessen their smoking habit in the last twelve months . This may be due to health effects, cost, and support of family and friends. According to Thomas ( 2009) other initiatives may include improving their life style, providing better educational and employment opportunities may also help in reducing the harm due to tobacco use. Hughes et al. 2007’s literature consists of good evidence of Aboriginal in which it states that bupropion (an antidepressant) could help smokers to give up their bad habit of smoking similar to the effect the nicotine replacement therapy has on such smokers . health care workers may use this information to help chain smokers by providing bupropion. A study evaluated the use of bupropion, with nicotine replacement therapy and also used quite a few brief interventions. The study was carried out on thirty prison inmates, from which half were Aboriginal . After the intervention carried on for six months 26% of the inmates had given up their habit of chain smoking (Richmond et al. 2006). Thus, this study also provides an important intervention regarding Bupropion and how it may help some smokers to give up their habit of smoking. Another important intervention may be found in Lancaster & Stead (2005) literature is sponsership. It consists of important information regarding sponsorship as an intervention to help reduce smokers. Healthcare workers can use this intervention in Aboriginal tobacco programs. The literature also shows that it has a good effect on Aboriginal smokers. Thus, it may prove to be a good intervention for healthcare workers as even those Aboriginals who cannot afford to pay for treatment to quit smoking will attempt it. Another important intervention which may be found in literature Lancaster & Stead (2005) is regarding health promotion materials. The literature provides evidence regarding the effect of such material on Aboriginal smokers in helping them to quit smoking. The most important part of this literature is that provides healthcare workers with information regarding the fact that the distributing self-help materials can assist smokers who have not used interventions to give up, however the healthcare workers have to keep in mind as per the literature the it effects very few smokers. Healthcare workers can also use the useful information in this literature that Aboriginal people mostly favor materials which consists of information regarding themselves, that utilize a lot of pictures or are easy to read, multicolored, and comprise of pictures of other Aboriginal people or other famous people. According to Bala et al. (2008) media campaigns may help Aboriginal people to . As per literature it is important for healthcare workers to keep in mind that Aboriginal people’s reaction towards the National Tobacco Campaign, that Aboriginal people usually may give preference to a campaign which designed particularly for their population . The literature also gave important information for healthcare workers that they should emphasize on the fact that tobacco programs should be locally based and comprise of local content, that they must include the aged population and important community members while designing and delivering, and that they should deign interventions which are based on the entire community. . Recommendations Health care workers in the campaign and awareness programs for serious health risks tobacco is usually their central in order to gain maximum attention towards their smoking cessation programs. The most common strategy which they can use is Health checks which are completely based on a broader health promoting activities is usually a wonderful way to start off a dialogue regarding quitting smoking, apart from this the healthcare workers also at times can organize an on-site seminar on smoking cessation Healthcare workers have realized that fact that if they give smokers families given proper training and education (Johnston & Thomas 2008); they can provide an ideal supportive environment for smokers to quit smoking. Apart from this the smoking cessation program is may be based on this concept. Healthcare workers treat smoking as a severe addiction and realize that quitting it is not easy. in fact it is a is a challenging endeavor that need a lot of support from family and friends as well as the Smoking Cessation program which the smoker will attend. The smoking cessation programs may help promote the fact that people should avoid making Smokers stigmatized, and smoking cessation efforts made by healthcare workers may be considered as a part of an effort to achieve a healthier society as a whole (Ellerman& Ford 2008). Healthcare workers in the broader context usually include smoking cessation in a comprehensive health program so that smokers may not feel targeted. This in turn will also help encourage healthy behaviours that support quitting smoking. The program may include information on exercise and stress management to quit smoking. For example, a good idea which healthcare workers usually use in their programs is encouraging smokers and other people also to take a short walk everyday as this also physical activity but may also help smokers in missing their usual ‘smoko’ catch up with friends to socialize. According to healthcare workers it serves as a healthier time-out and also helps in reducing the stress level. To a certain degree a lot of smokers have the same social, cultural and personal characteristics , this may help healthcare workers to plan a strategy in smoking cessation programs which may help smokers to benefit from targeted approaches to smoking cessation (Winstanley 2008). The highlighted groups are those which consist of a very high smoking rates, and where numerous implications of cessation which may be indifferent to smoker, where particular problems exist, or where existing typical approaches may not efficient enough. Conclusion To conclude it may be said that Australia health care workers have done a lot of hard work on banning smoking amongst aboriginal people. The health care workers have planned prefect smoking cessation programs and have also become apart of the combat against smoking. Health care workers in the campaign and awareness programs for serious health risks tobacco is usually their central in order to gain maximum attention towards their smoking cessation programs. The policies mentioned in the paper further strengthen the assumption that bans on smoking is a strategy which all governments should undertake in order to provide the public a healthy and safe life. This especially applicable to aboriginal people. References ABS (2009); The health and welfare of Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. ABS cat. no. 4704.0. Canberra: ABS. Viewed 20 January 2012, . Bala M, Strzeszynski L & Cahill K (2008); Mass media interventions for smoking cessation in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Carter O (2006). Australian Tobacco Control Advertising 1997 – 2005: audit of published and unpublished formative research and campaign evaluations. Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer Control report 060721. Perth: Curtin University; Commonwealth Department of Human Services (2008); an Health. National Drug Strategy Household Survey. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service, Ellerman, D. A. & C. Ford, (2008); "Chapter 7 - Smoking Cessation" in Tobacco in Australia: Facts and Issues M. Scollo, M. and M. Winstanley, H. Melbourne, Cancer Council Victoria Hughes JR, Stead LF& Lancaster T (2007); Antidepressants for smoking cessation 2007. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 1. Lancaster T & Stead LF (2005); Individual behavioural counselling for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Issue 2. Lancaster T & Stead LF (2005); Self-help interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews Issue 3 Power, Jennifer, Grealy, Claire, Rintoul, Duncan (2009); Tobacco interventions for Indigenous Australians: A review of current evidence, Health Promotion Journal of Australia, v20(3), pp186-94 Richmond RL, Butler T, Belcher JM, Wodak A, Wilhelm KA & Baxter E (2006); Promoting smoking cessation among prisoners: feasibility of a multi-component intervention. Australia and New Zealand Journal of Public Health 30(5):474–8. Thomas DP (2009). Smoking prevalence trends in Indigenous Australians, 1994–2004: a typical rather than an exceptional epidemic. International Journal of Equity Health 8:3 Winstanley, M. (2008), "Tobacco in Australia: Facts and Issues, Chapter 8: Tobacco use among Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders" Cancer Council Australia. 50 How 40 Long 30 Can 20 You 10 Live? Family physicians are taking a frontline approach to helping smokers meet their goal to quit smoking. The tobacco cessation program, "live your life," encourages family physicians to ASK all patients about tobacco use, then to ACT to help them quit. Read More