Nonpharmacological smoking cessation interventions in clinical practice

• Main Authors: J. Cornuz, C. Willi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Respiratory Society 2008-12-01
• Series: European Respiratory Review
• Subjects: Prevention; smoking; smoking cessation; tobacco
• Online Access: http://err.ersjournals.com/cgi/content/full/17/110/187

Doctors and other healthcare professionals are in a unique position to advise smokers to quit by their ability to integrate the various aspects of an effective counselling. The present review provides an overview of nonpharmacological interventions for smokers presenting in a clinical setting. Strategies used for smoking cessation counselling differ according to the patient's readiness to quit. For smokers who do not intend to quit smoking, physicians should inform and sensitise about tobacco use and cessation. For smokers who are dissonant, physicians should use motivational strategies, such as discussing barriers to cessation and their solutions. For smokers ready to quit, the physician should show strong support and help set a cessation date. Physician counselling for smoking cessation is among the most cost-effective clinical interventions.