Monday, April 27, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Prevention is the best medicine!
It is easier to try to prevent a person from ever using tobacco than trying to get them to quit once they have begun.
However, some tobacco chewers, especially children and adolescents, don't comprehend tobacco dangers until they are into their late teens if at all and by that time might have been chewing for five or ten years.
Research suggests the success rate for tobacco cessation in a health practitioner's office is somewhere around five percent. But that does not mean that there is a ninety-five percent failure rate!
The person who receives the quit message may not, and probably won't, quit immediately, but, he may get the same message from others like a nurse, his wife, a friend or others and later reflect about what was told to them.
Eventually, after many intervention episodes, the patient may make his own decision to quit and often comes back to the dentist or hygienist for help in doing so.
Health professionals shouldn't grade themselves on how many people they can "get" to quit, but rather how many times they give the message when the opportunity arises.
Under these criteria, there is no reason not to have an intervention success approaching 100%. Once the patient has made the decision to quit, then the professional should be ready with suggestions.
However, some tobacco chewers, especially children and adolescents, don't comprehend tobacco dangers until they are into their late teens if at all and by that time might have been chewing for five or ten years.
Research suggests the success rate for tobacco cessation in a health practitioner's office is somewhere around five percent. But that does not mean that there is a ninety-five percent failure rate!
The person who receives the quit message may not, and probably won't, quit immediately, but, he may get the same message from others like a nurse, his wife, a friend or others and later reflect about what was told to them.
Eventually, after many intervention episodes, the patient may make his own decision to quit and often comes back to the dentist or hygienist for help in doing so.
Health professionals shouldn't grade themselves on how many people they can "get" to quit, but rather how many times they give the message when the opportunity arises.
Under these criteria, there is no reason not to have an intervention success approaching 100%. Once the patient has made the decision to quit, then the professional should be ready with suggestions.
Helpful Guidelines
Ask every patient at every visit if he or she chews tobacco.
Note down chewing status in the medical chart.
Ask patients about their desire to quit.
Motivate patients who are reluctant, set a quit date.
Prescribe replacement therapy, when appropriate.
Help patients resolve problems that result from quitting.
Encourage relapsed chewers to try quitting again.
Provide support and reminders.
Note down chewing status in the medical chart.
Ask patients about their desire to quit.
Motivate patients who are reluctant, set a quit date.
Prescribe replacement therapy, when appropriate.
Help patients resolve problems that result from quitting.
Encourage relapsed chewers to try quitting again.
Provide support and reminders.
Messages for Health Professionals !!!
“ Consider every patient as a potential tobacco chewer”.
“ Fight the habit before it starts”.
“ Support your patient in this fight”
“ Fight the habit before it starts”.
“ Support your patient in this fight”
Hi Everyone !!!
This Blog is to provide facts and information about the ill effects of chewing tobacco. Our focus is on the Health Professionals in India. They have knowledge and skills with which they can educate people in need and help them fighting against this life threatening habit.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
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