Improving the health of Canadians: Why a certification program for tobacco educators is necessary

1AWM and Associates, Eldorado; 2Canadian Network Respiratory Care, Caledon, Ontario; 3RANA Respiratory Care Group, Winnipeg, Manitoba; 4University of Toronto, Division of Respirology, Toronto, Ontario Correspondence: Ms Andrea White Markham, 16983 Highway 62, Madoc, Ontario K0K 1Y0. Telephone 647-202-9803, e-mail [email protected] Tobacco use disorder is recognized as a chronic, relapsing condition, listed in both the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (1) and the International Classification of Diseases (2). Tobacco cessation requires a comprehensive approach that combines motivational interviewing techniques, pharmacological options and client-centred education (3,4). Health care professionals currently provide a limited amount of support to their clients in tobacco cessation, even though support has been shown to be a significant factor influencing quit rates (5). The Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists’ smoking cessation position statement states respiratory therapists “advocate and encourage smoking cessation” (6). However, a joint statement of health care professional organizations, including the Canadian Society of Respiratory Therapists, indicates that health care professionals are not confident in providing tobacco cessation support due to “insufficient education” (7). This gap in education points to a need for additional training for respiratory therapists in tobacco cessation to further develop their competencies in this area. The present commentary argues that a national, competency-based training and certification program will enable health care professionals to develop the skills and knowledge to support their clients through tobacco use disorder. A comprehensive approach to tobacco use prevention and cessation that is founded on the principles of client education will be reviewed as an effective means for reducing the burden of disease and suffering caused by tobacco use. The fight against the use of tobacco is a personal one for the authors of the present commentary. We have lost family members, friends and clients to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer and heart disease caused by tobacco. The fight against tobacco has been ongoing and, while there is a decrease in the prevalence, tobacco continues to be the leading cause of death in Canada (8).