The Pediatrician's Role in Reducing Tobacco Exposure in Children

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Objective. Pediatricians have a unique and important role to play in the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent tobacco use, the protection of patients from the harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke, and the encouragement of smoking cessation among parents. However, because recent research indicates that physician training in tobacco dependence is woefully weak and lacks a model for training, this article constructs a useful approach to this problem.Methodology. A comprehensive review of the literature served as the basis for the development of a new model for pediatrician training in tobacco dependence.Results. A comprehensive model is presented for training pediatricians in the areas of reducing infant and child exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, preventing youth smoking initiation, and providing smoking cessation assistance for adolescents and parents.Conclusions. Pediatricians have been called on to play an active role in the antitobacco arena. Because of their unique opportunity to interact with children, adolescents, and parents, pediatricians can and should be antitobacco interventionists. For this to occur, however, additional guidance should be provided to pediatricians during their training to better prepare them to carry out effective assessment and intervention practices. Pediatrics 2000;106(5). URL: http://www.pediatrics.org/ cgi/content/full/106/5/e66; smoking initiation, smoking prevention, smoking cessation, environmental tobacco smoke, pediatricians.

Family Beliefs and Behaviors About Smoking and Young Children’s Secondhand Smoke Exposure

“…37 Pediatricians routinely address caregiver smoking status, 45 making pediatric primary care a prime setting in which health care professionals could deliver interventions to reduce children's SHSe. Empirically supported approaches for pediatricians include routinely screening for parental smoking, encouraging HSB adoption, and facilitating parents' use of nicotine replacement therapy.…”

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The Difference a Decade Makes: Smoking Cessation Counseling and Screening at Pediatric Visits

“…45 Pediatricians can provide counseling to expectant and current parents to quit, assist parents in continuing their tobacco cessation, counsel adolescents to prevent initiation of tobacco use, and counsel adolescents to quit using tobacco. 44,46,47 Successful intervention can add an average of 7 years to a parent's life, improve their quality of life, 48 and improve the health of other household members, including children. 49 Smoking cessation counseling interventions are one of the most effective and cost-effective ways to reduce child exposure to SHS.…”