The Fight Against Tobacco: 5th Annual Ottawa Conference on Smoking Cessation

OTTAWA, Feb. 1, 2013 /CNW/ - The University of Ottawa Heart Institute (UOHI) is hosting the 5th Annual Ottawa Conference: State of the Art Clinical Approaches to Smoking Cessation at the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa. 

The 2013 event will take place over two days and will bring together national and international experts sharing the latest concepts in clinical tobacco treatment, program development, and smoking cessation research. 

WHAT: 5th Annual Ottawa Conference on Smoking Cessation
WHEN: February 1 and 2, 2013
WHERE: Château Laurier, 1 Rideau Street, Ottawa

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 1

The Business Case for Smoking Cessation in Healthcare Settings
This presentation will discuss the burden of tobacco smoking on the healthcare system. A brief review of cost-effectiveness studies pertaining to smoking cessation interventions will be provided as will the methodology and results of recent economic analyses looking at hospital-initiated smoking cessation programs in Ontario. 

The Zombies of Smoking Cessation: How to Kill Them Off
It is a fundamental responsibility of every healthcare professional to provide smoking cessation assistance to their patients who smoke. Unfortunately the persistence of outdated concepts or misconceptions has often served to impair the delivery of effective treatments. Despite evidence to the contrary these misconceptions have persisted, keep rising from 'the grave' and are often raised as concerns - hence their description as "Zombie Concepts". 

Smoking Cessation: Looking Back, Moving Forward
This presentation will summarize current state of the art approaches to smoking cessation in clinical settings (inpatient, outpatient, and population management). As an example of evidence-based implementation of research findings into practice, it will describe structure and outcomes of innovative smoking cessation programs that have been developed at Massachusetts General Hospital and Partners HealthCare, Inc., in Massachusetts, USA. 

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2

Helping Pregnant Smokers: Transforming "Teachable Moments" to Sustain Behaviour
Smoking whilst pregnant is associated with adverse outcomes in both the mother and fetus. The long term consequences of this exposure is associated with behavioural and metabolic consequences in the offspring. Although pregnancy is a teachable moment for many pregnant smokers, most women fail to stop. 

The PAU - The Gate Keeper to Smoking Cessation Programs in Canadian Hospitals
In North America in 1992, the JCAHO mandated the prohibition of smoking in hospitals. This policy was followed by a reduction in smoking among hospital employees, reduced second hand smoke exposure for patients, staff and visitors and positioned hospitals as leaders in the promotion of healthy workplace environments. Prohibition of smoking on the entire hospital campus is now practiced as an extension to the indoor smoking ban policy. In the presence of such policies, there is a requirement to offer treatment of nicotine addiction to patients, staff and visitors. For surgical patients the Preadmission Unit (PAU) can be a center of excellence in nicotine addiction management and an location to test and develop a hospital-wide cessation program. 

Smoking and the Diabetic Patient, A Unique Challenge
Unfortunately, the condition of diabetes is also high risk for many cardiovascular outcomes. During this presentation, we will explore the unique combination of risks that are presented in the diabetic patient who smokes. We will also take a look at how smoking cessation is sometimes a challenge in these patients, as diabetes presents a unique constellation of economic burden as well as medication burden in many people. 

Smoking Cessation and Mental Health
Almost 50% of cigarettes smoked are consumed by those with mental illness with the highest rates observed in individuals with psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia who may spend up to 40% of their income on tobacco, often at the expense of food, housing and social activities.

Cancer Care Ontario's Approach to Smoking Cessation in Regional Cancer Programs
Tobacco use is responsible for approximately 30% of all cancers, so it is not surprising that a substantial number of newly diagnosed patients and family members present to provincial Cancer Centres still smoking or having only recently quit. Cancer Care Ontario's Cancer Plan for 2011- 15 has as one of its objectives to establish regional cancer centres as models for the implementation of cancer risk reduction initiatives.

The Ottawa Conference has become a recognized national reference point for health professionals seeking to gain knowledge in clinical smoking cessation - an important area of preventative health practice. This is an accredited opportunity for knowledge exchange for a variety of stakeholders including physicians, nurses, other healthcare and community practitioners, researchers, and policy-makers.

** For more information and for the complete agenda, consult the conference's brochure ** 

SOURCE: Ottawa Heart Institute, University of Ottawa

For further information:

Vincent Lamontagne
Senior Manager, Public Affairs
University of Ottawa Heart Institute
613-761-4427
613-899-6760 (cell)
vlamontagne@ottawaheart.ca