Tobacco Use-It's a Problem
Magnitude of problem
15% of all adults in the US are current smokers and thousands of young people start smoking each day (CDC, 2017). Just in Maryland, 27.6% of high school students report current use of any tobacco product. Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of disease in our country. According to the CDC, if current uptake of tobacco use continues, 5.6 million of today's youth under the age of 18 will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. That's 1 in every 13 American youths who will die of a smoking-related disease (CDC, 2017). The current cost of the problem is approximately $300 billion dollars each year in the United States. (USDHHS, 2014)
Consequences of the problem
The CDC has identified tobacco use as a public health risk and is a high priority which would have over arching benefits to both smokers and non smokers (USDHHS, 2014). There is no risk free level of exposure to tobacco. Young adulthood is a transition between youth and adulthood and changes in risky behaviors like experimenting with cigarette smoking can be seen during this time (Backinger, 2003). Tobacco use typically starts at this age and progresses from occasional to daily smoking by age 18 (DHHS, 2012). Tobacco causes diseases like cancer, stroke, COPD, ectopic pregnancy, reduced fertility in women, erectile dysfunction and even type two diabetes. Additionally, second hand smoke causes asthma exacerbations, sudden infant death syndrome, and respiratory and ear infections (USDHHS, 2006). By working to prevent the uptake of cigarette smoking early in a person's life, health care providers have the power to prevent early death and disease.
Other factors associated with youth tobacco smoking are mental health issues like anxiety and depression,
Relevance to Nursing
Nurses are involved in nearly all tiers of health care and have the potential to provide counsel in countless settings. Nurses represent the largest portion of health care workers worldwide (You dan, 2005). The potential reach of nurses to all walks of life is advantageous in terms of promoting healthy behaviors and encouraging smoking cessation. Current Healthy People 2020 goals include two key objectives regarding smoking and adolescents:
1. Reduce tobacco use by adolescents
2. Reduce the initiation of tobacco use among children, adolescents, and young adults (HP 2020, 2014)
Our current intervention will potentially contribute to the achievement of the most current goals. The ANA endorses nurses potential impact on smoking cessation and prevention efforts (ANA, 2012). A systematic review of nursing interventions for smoking cessation found that support and encouragement from nursing contributed to patient's smoking cessation and found some utility in advice given for smoking prevention. (Rice, 2013)
15% of all adults in the US are current smokers and thousands of young people start smoking each day (CDC, 2017). Just in Maryland, 27.6% of high school students report current use of any tobacco product. Tobacco use is the largest preventable cause of disease in our country. According to the CDC, if current uptake of tobacco use continues, 5.6 million of today's youth under the age of 18 will die prematurely from a smoking-related disease. That's 1 in every 13 American youths who will die of a smoking-related disease (CDC, 2017). The current cost of the problem is approximately $300 billion dollars each year in the United States. (USDHHS, 2014)
Consequences of the problem
The CDC has identified tobacco use as a public health risk and is a high priority which would have over arching benefits to both smokers and non smokers (USDHHS, 2014). There is no risk free level of exposure to tobacco. Young adulthood is a transition between youth and adulthood and changes in risky behaviors like experimenting with cigarette smoking can be seen during this time (Backinger, 2003). Tobacco use typically starts at this age and progresses from occasional to daily smoking by age 18 (DHHS, 2012). Tobacco causes diseases like cancer, stroke, COPD, ectopic pregnancy, reduced fertility in women, erectile dysfunction and even type two diabetes. Additionally, second hand smoke causes asthma exacerbations, sudden infant death syndrome, and respiratory and ear infections (USDHHS, 2006). By working to prevent the uptake of cigarette smoking early in a person's life, health care providers have the power to prevent early death and disease.
Other factors associated with youth tobacco smoking are mental health issues like anxiety and depression,
Relevance to Nursing
Nurses are involved in nearly all tiers of health care and have the potential to provide counsel in countless settings. Nurses represent the largest portion of health care workers worldwide (You dan, 2005). The potential reach of nurses to all walks of life is advantageous in terms of promoting healthy behaviors and encouraging smoking cessation. Current Healthy People 2020 goals include two key objectives regarding smoking and adolescents:
1. Reduce tobacco use by adolescents
2. Reduce the initiation of tobacco use among children, adolescents, and young adults (HP 2020, 2014)
Our current intervention will potentially contribute to the achievement of the most current goals. The ANA endorses nurses potential impact on smoking cessation and prevention efforts (ANA, 2012). A systematic review of nursing interventions for smoking cessation found that support and encouragement from nursing contributed to patient's smoking cessation and found some utility in advice given for smoking prevention. (Rice, 2013)