Smoking Among the Elderly

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at effective strategies for eliminating smoking within the elderly who are shown to be the least likely to quit smoking despite the tremendous health problems that it imposes. The paper examines group therapy, intensive behavioral therapy, the use of cessation literature and reliance on family networks. The paper claims that it is essential that the medical profession increase promotion of programs and literature to encourage smoking cessation.

From the Paper:

"The conventional wisdom that cigarette smoking severely affects the health of individuals has permeated American society. However, there has been no rapid decline in cigarette smoking within the past five years despite tremendous efforts by the national media and government to curb smoking. This problem is especially prevalent among elders, who are shown to be the least likely to quit smoking despite the tremendous health problems that it imposes. Of the top sixteen causes for death among the elderly, eight are related to smoking."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Huston, C.G., Shelton, D.M., Chrismon, J.H., et al. (1997). Cigarette smoking and smoking cessation among older adults: United States, 1965 - 94. Tobacco Control, 6(3): 175 - 80.
• Hermanson, B., Omenn, G.S., Kronmal, R.A., et al. (1988). Beneficial sixteen year outcome of smoking cessation in older men and women with coronary artery disease. Result from the CASS registry. New England Journal of Medicine, 319(21):1365-9.
• Rimer, B.K. and Orleans, C.T. (1994). Tailoring smoking cessation for older adults. Cancer, 74(7 Suppl):2051-4.

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