Motivating People who use Tobacco to Change
Quitting tobacco use involves a process of change that takes place in stages over time. It often takes many attempts to quit before someone achieves long-term success. This “stages of change” model defines five stages in the process of quitting. Your patients will benefit from different intervention approaches at every stage.
| IF YOUR PATIENT IS… | THEN YOUR GOAL MIGHT BE TO… | |
| Not thinking about stopping – is neither considering stopping nor actively paying attention to tobacco and health information. Does not see him/herself as vulnerable to health risks. |  |
Raise doubt – and provide strong recommendation to quit. Describe treatment supports available. Repeat at each visit.
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| Thinking about stopping – is actively paying attention to information about the effects of tobacco use and ways to stop. |  |
Identify pros and cons – of continuing to use tobacco in order to tip the balance toward making a quit attempt.
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| Trying to stop – has developed strategies to help him/herself stop. | |
Support setting a quit date soon
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| No longer using tobacco – has been without tobacco for up to six months. This is a crucial period in terms of relapse. Maintaining abstinence – has been without tobacco for over six months and is establishing long-term abstinence. | |
Prevent relapse – by reviewing benefits of staying quit and of successes experienced.
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| Back to regular tobacco use – has recycled to any of the first three stages. | |
Encourage another quit attempt.
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Learn more about increasing your patient’s confidence and readiness to quit tobacco through the Helping Patients Quit through Motivational Interviewing Strategies eLearning module.
Refer Your Patients to a Quit Coach
Submit a Provider Web Referral or E-Referral through the EMR.
Choose the most convenient method for YOUR practice!