Cancer and Heart Disease,
A Case for Working Collaboratively
to Reduce Tobacco Use
Sandra Villalaz, RN, MPH, CHES
Community Manager for Health Initiatives
Central Texas Region,
American Cancer Society
American Cancer Society Mission
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide
community-based voluntary health
organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as
a major health problem by preventing cancer,
saving lives, and diminishing suffering from
cancer, through research, education, advocacy,
and service.
Objectives
• Describe one health care system level
initiative to reduce tobacco use among
patients.
• Identify three stakeholders critical to
creating system level change and why.
• List two best practices and at least three
community level resources available to
assist in client smoking cessation attempts.
Concern
• Healthy People 2010 goal to reduce
tobacco use to 12 % not met.
– Actually we only met this goal for
population 65 and older.
• American Cancer Society Goal for
2015 is the same.
The Problem
• Smoking “damages nearly every cell
in your body.”
• It can cause:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Cancers
COPD
Heart Disease
CV Disease
GI ulcers/periodontal disease
Reproductive effects
Eye disorders
Richard Carmona, Surgeon General of the US, Surgeon General Report, May 2004
Case Study and Stakeholders
The Challenge
• Seized the opportunity
– Meeting with Austin Heart, PA Chief Operating
Officer
• Presented the challenge
– Asked what protocol was used for tobacco
users
– Prepared for the meeting
Tobacco Use and Heart Disease Statistics
• As
many as 30 percent of all deaths in the United States
each year from heart attack are attributable to
cigarette smoking (2)
• Smoking-caused
heart disease results in more deaths
per year than smoking-caused lung cancer (4)
• Tobacco use increases blood pressure and risk of stroke
(1)
• Women
who smoke and use oral contraceptives greatly
increase their risk of heart attack and stroke (4)
• Smokers’
risk of a heart attack is two to four times
greater than that of non-smokers (3)
1.
2.
3.
4.
American Heart Association, Inc., Cigarette Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease, July 18, 2005
American Heart Association, Inc., Circulation, 1997; 96:3243-3247, “Cigarette Smoking, Cardiovascular Disease, and Stroke A Statement for Healthcare Professionals From the American
Heart Association, 1997
American Heart Association, Inc., Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease, July 18, 2005
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, State Cardiovascular Disease Highlights, 1997, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion, 1997
Austin Heart, PA
• 47 physicians provide care at 13 Central
Texas office locations – 8 counties
• comprehensive range of services include
prevention, general cardiology,
vascular care, electrophysiology, and
interventional cardiovascular services.
Article from Austin Heart
Newsletter Feb 2009
Smoking Remains the No 1 Cause of Preventable
Death in the United States
• Did you know that cigarette smokers are two to four times
• more likely to develop coronary heart disease than
nonsmokers.
• Smokers are also more than 10 times as likely as
• nonsmokers to develop peripheral artery disease. After one
• year off of cigarettes the excess risk of coronary heart
• disease caused by smoking is reduced by half. 15 years
• after quitting, the risk is similar to that for people who have
never smoked.
The Meeting
• Responded with information and
orientation to service after learning
about the practice
– Met with Medical Director
– Offered educational materials and
briefing on American Cancer Society
Quitline .
– Offered Professional Education
Healthcare Professional Ed
• Provided Provider and Nursing
education as well as patient materials
for 13 locations.
– Involved appropriate level of
professionals
Tobacco half the problem
• Only 70% of primary care
physicians ask their patients if they
use tobacco.
• Only 40% take action.
Providing Appropriate Tobacco Cessation
Assistance is Important
• 70% of smokers want to quit.
• 93% of smokers who try to quit
resume regular smoking within one
year.
• Five to seven attempts are usually
required to succeed.
CDC Recommendations
• Tobacco dependence is a chronic condition
that requires repeated interventions
• Every patient should be offered a treatment
– Patients willing to try to quit-should be offered
effective treatments
– Patients unwilling to try to quit-should be
offered a brief intervention designed to
increase their motivation
Effective Tobacco Dependence
Interventions
• Fiore MC, Bailey, Cohen SJ, et. al. Treating Tobacco
Use and Dependence. Rockville, MD: US
Department of Health and Human Services. Public
Health Service. October 2008.
• MMWR/Recommendations and Reports:
November 10,2000/Vol. 49/No.RR-12. A report on
findings.
• American Journal of Preventive Medicine.AM J
Prev Med 2001:20 (2S); 16-66. A report on findings
and evidence.
Austin Heart, PA
• Physicians will address smoking and quitting.
– Physician’s advice to quit is an important motivator.
– Nurses and office staff will answer questions, help with
resources and encourage patients.
• Patients can make an appointment with physician
for smoking cessation support and resources.
– Insurance provides payment to physicians for smoking
cessation interventions.
• All personnel are responsible for encouraging and
promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Changes reported
• 2007 we had 4 physicians counsel 73
patients.
• 2008 we had 4 physicians counsel 96
patients.
• 2009 we had 36 physicians counsel
603 patients
Good News and Not such Good News
• Document in the EMR patients
smoking status
• Documented what counseling and
support services were provided.
• Documented the appropriate
diagnosis codes for tobacco abuse.
• BUT have not tracked if patients have
actually stopped.
Best Practices and Resources
The Stages of Change
• Pre-contemplation: At this stage, the tobacco user
is not thinking seriously about quitting right now.
• Contemplation: The tobacco user is actively
thinking about quitting but is not quite ready to
make a serious attempt yet.
• Preparation: Tobacco users in the preparation
stage seriously intend to quit in the next month
and often have tried to quit in the past 12 months.
They usually have a plan.
• Action: This is the first 6 months when the user is
actively quitting.
• Maintenance: This is the period of 6 months to 5
years after quitting when the ex-user is aware of
the danger of relapse and take steps to avoid it.
5 A’s
1. Ask –systematically identify all tobacco
users at every visit
2. Advise-strongly urge tobacco users to
quit with each visit
3. Assess-determine willingness to make
a quit attempt (within 30 days)
4. Assist-aid patient in quitting
5. Arrange-schedule a follow up contact
5 R’s for those unwilling to quit
1. Relevance-encourage pt to identify
personal reason to quit
2. Risks-ask pt to list negative
consequences of smoking
3. Rewards-list potential benefits of
quitting
4. Roadblocks-identify barriers
5. Repetition-repeat with each visit
Provider Reminder Systems
When:
• Patients who use tobacco are identified;
• Providers receive information to help
them help their patients understand the
risks and dangers
Results in:
• Delivery of advice to quit by providers
• Number of patients who do quit
Nurses
• You are an invaluable resource.
• Patients are more likely to quit successfully with
the nurses’ support. (Good, Frazier, Wetta-Hall, Ablah, &
Molgaard, 2004)
• If you don’t mention it to your patients, they won’t
see it as important.
• Nurses are a trusted professional.
• We are failing our patients if we don’t offer smoking
cessation help. (Roberts, 2002)
Common Barriers
• Patients perceived or actual lack of interest
or motivation
• Lack of time and skill
• Lack of knowledge and resources
• Thought that it is an invasion of patient
privacy
• Negative message may scare patients away.
(Good, et al, 2004)
Behavioral Interventions &
5 month Quit Rates
• Self-help: 12.3%
• Proactive telephone counseling: 13.1%
• Group counseling: 13.9%
• Individual counseling: 16.8%
• The American Cancer Society’s Quitline has a 1
year quit rate of 36%.
• The addition of pharmacologic agents have
significantly improved success rates.
Hopkins, David, et al. Reviews of Evidence Regarding Interventions to Reduce Tobacco Use and Exposure
to Environmental Tobacco Smoke, 2001. Am J Prev Med 2001;20(2):16-66.
ACS Quit For Life
• It only takes 30 seconds to refer a patient
to a toll-free tobacco-cessation quitline.
• Quitlines are staffed by trained cessation
experts who tailor a plan and advice for
each caller.
• Calling a quitline can increase a smoker’s
chance of successfully quitting.
Ethical Considerations
• Screening
– Ask at each visit
• Efficacious Treatment
– Recommending Smoking Cessation
• Counseling
– Group, Individual or Phone
ACS Community Resources
Client
• ACS Quit For Life - a quitline In Texas:
– 1-877-YES-QUIT (877-937-7848)
– Pamphlets to provide information
• Spanish/ English
– Wallet card-Spanish/English
• American Cancer Society
– www.cancer.org
– 1-800-ACS-2345
– American Cancer Society Fresh Start
Community Resources
Professional
• Quick Guide to Helping Tobacco Users-Toolkit
(5A’s and 5R’s cards for exam rooms) – pdf available from the Texas
Dept of State Health Service
• Ask and Act –American Academy of Family Practitioners
• ACS Quit For Life –Promotional Materials- a quitline in Texas
• American Cancer Society
– www.cancer.org
– 1-800-ACS-2345
– American Cancer Society Fresh Start -facilitator online
training - www.cancer.org
Conclusion
• There is no clinical intervention
available today that can reduce
illness, prevent death, and increase
quality of life more than effective
tobacco treatment interventions.
• Be part of the solution.
• Be sure providers address tobacco
addiction with every visit.
Sandra.villalaz@cancer.org
512-919-1854
©2009 American Cancer Society, Inc. No.0052.19