Smoking Cessation

See also the Smoking Cessation category in the Resources chapter for additional resources, for example a GP smoking cessation algorithm, and resources and links to assist your patients quit smoking.

Please contact project officer Di Barker for further information on 6622 4453 or dbarker@nrdgp.org.au

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Project goal

The project aims to:

improve both the quality and quantity of GP practice based interventions for smoking cessation;
improve access to effective support for Northern Rivers individuals progressing to a quit attempt; and
achieve a population based effect from improving GP practice based cessation interventions.

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Introduction
In Australia, smoking is the largest single preventable cause of disease, including lung and multiple other cancers.

Studies have demonstrated that GPs can play a key role in assisting smokers to quit. The unsupported quit rate is about 3%. GPs can improve this 8-fold with a brief intervention of one minute using a combination of strategies.

Even a supportive environment that does not take any GP time can assist the quit rate, eg: displaying quitline brochures.

The Northern Rivers of NSW has significantly higher than state average smoking rates at 28.5% (NSW 22.7%), with males 25-34 years at 64.1% (NSW 30.5%).

This project can assist and support GPs and practice nurses to help smokers quit. Training in the latest techniques is available, as well as a wide range of resources to assist the practitioner from Di Barker, the division's tobacco project officer. In particular, information is available on the appropriate rates of dosing and efficacy of combination nicotine replacement therapy.
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Articles