Best Practices In Tobacco Cessation In Rural Populations

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to develop best practice recommendations to provide tobacco cessation to rural populations. Recommendations for best practice will be developed from evidence-based research within the last ten years. Tobacco addiction is still a problem in America and tobacco cessation interventions are needed to fight this epidemic. Tobacco use accounts for six million deaths per year and is the leading cause of preventable death (Petersen et al., 2017). Rural communities are behind the national average in tobacco cessation. In 2009, the prevalence of smoking was 26% in rural areas which was similar to the national average in 1990 (Mussulman et al., 2014). Rural communities lack adequate medical access, insurance coverage, cell phone access for quitlines and tobacco cessation education. In addition, rural areas have a higher prevalence of low socioeconomic status and tobacco is socially more accepted in these areas (Weg et al., 2016). Education is a powerful tool in the implementation of tobacco cessation interventions, and if used in the clinical setting can improve patient outcomes. If nursing programs were to include tobacco cessation in the curriculum, nurses would have a greater impact on the fight against tobacco use especially in rural communities.