| Summary: | Background and challenges to implementation
World Health Organization has declared tobacco addiction as
a disease. Quitters need systematic professional cessation services. Healthcare
providers have unique opportunity to identify and interact with tobacco users
on individual basis, about the adverse effects, disease sequence, and also provide
cessation counselling medication and follow up. Their involvement will enhance
tobacco control.
Intervention or response
The
aim was to assess the quitting capacity of tobacco users, their need for health
professional care. GATS -1 and 2 reports regarding quitting and involvement of
healthcare professionals in tobacco control was assessed and compared. Then
digital search was carried out and scooping of the published data was done to
examine the role of healthcare professionals in tobacco control in India and
need based recommendations were drawn for policy action.
Results and lessons learnt
In GATS 1 and 2, 38% tobacco consumers reported quit
attempt. Those who planned to quit had increased from 46.6% to 55.4% in GATS
-2. There is marginal increase in smokers advised to quit by healthcare
provider. Involvement of healthcare professionals and cessation services by
them are not mandated by policies. National Health Policy 2017, has provision to implement
specialist cessation services by trained professionals, but engagement of
existing workforce remains untapped.
Some have continued consumption, inspite of professional advice. Studies have
shown that some health professionals perceive not all forms of tobacco is
harmful. There
is need for prevention or cessation training in medical and dental curriculum
or the production of training programmes aimed at current medical and dental
practitioners.
Conclusions and key recommendations
Considering the increasing number of potential quitters, and
the growing need for professional assistance, compulsory training programmes
for healthcare professionals in tobacco control needs to be conducted. Networking
governance by public private partnership at Government and corporate hospitals be
made as a mandatory primary healthcare service.
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