The Clinical Prevention Program supports healthcare providers in improving the delivery of evidence-based clinical interventions that lower the prevalence of smoking in BC.

Many people who use tobacco have other conditions (e.g. depression, severe nicotine addiction) that make it harder to quit. This enhanced need for support calls for health professionals to address tobacco use in their practices.

In 2006, 5,972 British Columbians died from smoking-related conditions. This is a higher death toll than that from alcohol, drug use, accidents and AIDS combined. Of these deaths:

• 2,521 were due to cancer
• 1,996 were from circulatory disease
• 1,455 were from respiratory disease 

BC Vital Statistics Annual Report - 2006 - table 42

Our Strategies

Mobilize primary care practices to improve the delivery of clinical prevention by:

• Performing evidence-based intervention systematically
• Measuring and improving their performance

Educate providers through:

• Online courses in clinical tobacco intervention
• Face-to-face and web-based training sessions 

Support providers by:

• Promoting a systematic team approach
• Offering clinical tools that facilitate the "5 A's" (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange Follow-up)

Test systematic approaches to real-world settings by:

• Examining and refining clinical tobacco intervention processes through the Health Coordinator Pilot Project