SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM
Rationale:
The use of tobacco continues to be a major cause of health problems worldwide. There is currently an estimated 1.3 billion
smokers in the world, with 4.9 million people dying because of tobacco use in a year. If this trend continues, the number of
deaths will increase to 10 million by the year 2020, 70% of which will be coming from countries like the Philippines. (The Role
of Health Professionals in Tobacco Control, WHO, 2005)
The World Health Organization released a document in 2003 entitled Policy Recommendations for Smoking Cessation and
Treatment of Tobacco Dependence. This document very clearly stated that as current statistics indicate, it will not be possible to
reduce tobacco related deaths over the next 30-50 years unless adult smokers are encouraged to quit. Also, because of the
addictiveness of tobacco products, many tobacco users will need support in quitting. Population survey reports showed that
approximately one third of smokers attempt to quit each year and that majority of these attempts are undertaken without help.
However, only a small percentage of cigarette smokers (1-3%) achieve lasting abstinence, which is at least 12 months of
abstinence from smoking, using will power alone (Fiore et al 2000) as cited by the above policy paper.
The policy paper also stated that support for smoking cessation or “treatment of tobacco dependence” refers to a range of
techniques including motivation, advise and guidance, counseling, telephone and internet support, and appropriate
pharmaceutical aids all of which aim to encourage and help tobacco users to stop using tobacco and to avoid subsequent relapse.
Evidence has shown that cessation is the only intervention with the potential to reduce tobacco-related mortality in the short and
medium term and therefore should be part of an overall comprehensive tobacco-control policy of any country.
The Philippine Global Adult Tobacco Survey conducted in 2009 (DOH, Philippines GATS Country Report, March 16, 2010)
revealed that 28.3% (17.3 million) of the population aged 15 years old and over currently smoke tobacco, 47.7% (14.6 million) of
whom are men, while 9.0% (2.8 million) are women. Eighty percent of these current smokers are daily smokers with men and
women smoking an average of 11.3 and 7 sticks of cigarettes per day respectively.
The survey also revealed that among ever daily smokers, 21.5% have quit smoking. Among those who smoked in the last 12
months, 47.8% made a quit attempt, 12.3% stated they used counseling and or advise as their cessation method, but only 4.5%
successfully quit. Among current cigarette smokers, 60.6% stated they are interested in quitting, translating to around 10 million
Filipinos needing help to quit smoking as of the moment. The above scenario dictates the great need to build the capacity of
health workers to help smokers quit smoking, thus the need for the Department of Health to set up a national infrastructure to
help smokers quit smoking.
The national smoking infrastructure is mandated by the Tobacco Regulations Act which orders the Department of Health to set
up withdrawal clinics. As such DOH Administrative Order No. 122 s. 2003 titled The Smoking Cessation Program to support the
National Tobacco Control and Healthy Lifestyle Program allowed the setting up of the National Smoking Cessation Program.
Vision: Reduced prevalence of smoking and minimizing smoking-related health risks.
Mission: To establish a national smoking cessation program (NSCP).
Objectives:
The program aims to:
1. Promote and advocate smoking cessation in the Philippines; and
2. Provide smoking cessation services to current smokers interested in quitting the habit.
Program Components:
The NSCP shall have the following components:
1. Training
The NSCP training committee shall define, review, and regularly recommend training programs that are consistent with the good
clinical practices approved by specialty associations and the in line with the rules and regulations of the DOH.
All DOH health personnel, local government units (LGUs), selected schools, industrial and other government health practitioners
must be trained on the policies and guidelines on smoking cessation.
2. Advocacy
A smoke-free environment (SFE) shall be maintained in DOH and participating non-DOH facilities, offices, attached agencies,
and retained hospitals. DOH officials, staff, and employees, together with the officials of participating non-DOH offices, shall
participate in the observance and celebration of the World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) every 31 st of May and the World No
Tobacco Month every June.
3. Health Education
Through health education, smokers shall be assisted to quit their habit and their immediate family members shall be empowered
to assist and facilitate the smoking cessation process.
4. Smoking Cessation Services
Below is the National Smoking Cessation Framework detailing Smoking Cessation services at different levels of care:
LEVEL OF
STAFFING Intervention Package DRUGS/MEDS EQUIPMENTS
CARE
PRIMARY BHW Risk None Risk
LEVEL RM assessment/ Assessment
I. Barangay Risk Tool
Health Station screening Quit
(Note: Use Contract
Risk
Assessment
Form)
Assess for
Tobacco Referral
Use Form
If smoker,
do Brief
Intervension
Advice (5
A's) See
Attached
Protocol
If non-
smoker,
Congratulate
and advice
continue
Healthy
Lifestyle
activity
Above Plus
Quit Clinic
(Use DOH Protocol or
other suggested
protocols e.g. Patient Assessment
Motivational Interview, Tool:
SDA Protocol, etc. as
available)
Stages of
change
DOH WHO
Protocol Mental
provides: Health
Assessment Checklist
of client's Motivation
Smoking and
History, Confidence
Current to quit
Smoking
PRIMARY
Status and
Smoking
LEVEL Use of History and
Readiness to
stop Nicotin Current
II. RHU smoking e Smoking
Replac Status
Planning for
ement
clients Self-test for
Above Plus therapy reason for
Readiness to particul smoking
SECONDAR stop
Nurses Doctor arly (Horn's
Y LEVEL smoking
s and other Nicotin Smoker's
health Quit day: e patch Selt-test)
personnel Pharmacolo and
gic, Fagerstrom
Nicotin Nicotine
Psychologic e Gum
al and Dependence
is test
Behavioral advocat
TERTIARY Intervention Self-test on
ed
s Readiness
LEVEL
to stop
smoking
- Identifying and address
triggers for going back Previous
into smoking attempts to
stop
smoking
- Dealing with cravings
to smoke
Form:
- Managing withdrawal
syndromes Quit
Contract
Monitoring
and
Prevention
of Relapse
Quit Lines
5. Research and Development
Research and development activities are to be conducted to better understand the nature of nicotine dependence among Filipinos
and to undertake new pharmacological approaches.
Partner Organizations:
The following institutions take part in achieving the goals of the program:
LUNG CENTER OF THE PHILIPPINES
Contact Number: 924-9204
PHILIPPINE COLLEGE OF CHEST PHYSICIAN
Contact Number:924-6101 to 20
PHILIPPINE GENERAL HOSPITAL
Contact Number: 554-8400
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
Contact Number: 338-7478/ 338-7479
PHILIPPINE ACADEMY OF FAMILY PHYSICIANS
Contact Number: 844-2135 / 889-8053
PHILIPPINE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
Contact Number: 929-6366
FRAMEWORK CONVENTION ON TOBACCO CONTROL
Contact Number: 468- 7222
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES
Contact Number: 453-8257
SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST
Contact Number: 526-9870/ 526-9871/ 536-1080
PHILIPPINE AMBULATORY PEDIATRIC ASSOCIATION
Contact Number:525-1797
PHILIPPINE PSYCHIATRIC ASSOCIATION
Contact Number: 635-9858
METROPOLITAN MANILA DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY
Contact Number: 882-4151
Department of Health-Disease Prevention and Control Bureau
DEGENERATIVE DISEASE OFFICE
Contact Number: 651-78-00 local 1750-1751 and 732-2493
Program Coordinator:
Ms. Frances Prescilla Cuevas
Smoking Cessation Councilors:
Dr. Franklin Diza
Ms. Frances Prescilla Cuevas
Ms. Remedios Guerrero
e-mail address:
[email protected]DOH Quitline
Tags:
SMOKING CESSATION PROGRAM
Cessation
elderly classification
health topic
Program Classification:
Elderly
nn
