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HEALTHCARE
INTERVENTION

Substantiated

Healthcare

Interventions

Targeting the

Behavior of

Cigarette-Smoking

By Ammar Navid Saigal, M.P.H.

Societal burden as a result of the behavior of smoking cigarettes development of smoking-related morbidities and early mortality as-
is disproportionately great compared to the costs to society associ- sociated with the practice. These sorts of interventions include any-
ated with other hazardous behaviors. Smoking is the leading cause thing from psychotherapy to nicotine chewing gum to stopping
of death in the United States and has been implicated in the patho- abruptly (known as the “cold turkey”) method. If initiated early
genesis of many cancers that claim the lives of millions of Ameri- enough, these behavioral interventions can reverse the course of
cans annually. Because of this, many interventions have been developing lung disease. Regardless, interventions that are successful
designed and implemented over the years attempting to reduce the at getting smokers to quit will always reduce the burden of mortality
burden to society associated with this behavior. These interventions associated with this behavior.
are best thought of in terms of prophylactic primary prevention To conclude, interventions that target the dangerous behavior
and direct behavioral intervention. of cigarette smoking are most effective when implemented early in
Primary prevention has shown to be most effective at the societal the course of the habit and can be approached from either primary
level and includes such measures ranging from large public bill- preventative or direct behavioral varieties of intervention.
boards emphasizing the health hazards of cigarette smoking to lim-
iting the availability of tobacco products to vendors and consumers References:
alike. This mode of intervention will afford protection to individuals 1) Eur J Cardiovasc Prev Rehabil. 2003 Dec;10(6):476-85.
on the basis of not allowing for the initiation of tobacco product What can we do in secondary prevention of cigarette smoking?
use as a hobby or lifestyle attribute. By preventing individuals from Haustein KO.
taking up smoking, public health authorities seek to attack the prob- 2) Am J Public Health. 1992 June; 82(6): 827–834.
lem at its source, thereby stopping it from developing into a chronic Prevention of cigarette smoking through mass media interven-
health issue later in life. tion and school programs. B S Flynn, J K Worden, R H Secker-
Direct behavioral intervention methods include practices that aim Walker, G J Badger, B M Geller, and M C Costanza
to encourage susceptible individuals (regular cigarette smokers) to 3) URL: http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/re
quit the behavior entirely, thereby aiming to secondarily prevent the sources/data/cigarette-smoking-in- united-states.html

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