In the United States forty percent of cancers diagnosed are linked to tobacco use, and while quitting smoking can help improve health outcomes for cancer patients, a recent study found that only about half of cancer survivors who smoked reported making a quit attempt in the past year. Health care providers are important motivators for patients to stop smoking, and in order to get the word out to health care providers who treat cancer patients and survivors the CDC has launched some free resources to help .
- CDC’s Caring for Cancer Survivors Who Use Tobacco web-page explains the health risks for cancer survivors who use tobacco and offers ideas for how providers can help their patients quit.
- Helping Smokers Quit: A Guide for Clinicians outlines best practices to help health care providers talk effectively with their patients about cessation.
- Brief Tobacco Intervention Card is a handy cue-card on brief tobacco interventions that providers can refer to as they talk to their patients.
- Free notepads with the 1-800-QUIT-NOW quitline number on them, to write notes and instructions for patients who smoke.
- CDC’s Health Care Providers: Tools and Resources web-page contains free materials and offers suggestions for how providers can use these materials to help their patients quit.