Monique Cuvelier

By Monique I. Cuvelier

The fight against smoking, chewing, and vaping just became a little fiercer.

From April 4-10, front-line health workers refined their health education skills via the online course Supporting Tobacco Cessation.

The course was sponsored by CHWTraining, a health care-focused division of Boston-based educational company Talance, Inc., and was produced in observance of National Public Health Week and offered at no charge. The weeklong, interactive course was facilitated by tobacco-cessation health educator Mary Etna Haac. She guided participants through practical tips and strategies they can use in their efforts to help more people quit or reduce using tobacco.

The line between using and quitting tobacco can be so narrow. Many barriers prevent people from conquering their addictions. They include anything from a high-stress environment and a simple lack of support.

Understanding and addressing tobacco cessation barriers is vital for any effective intervention, but with so many variables, it’s hard to keep track. We wanted to find a simple way to remind staff and volunteers about common barriers and the best ways to respond, so we created these Addressing Tobacco Cessation Barriers flashcards. We made these printable cards free for your team.

The cards include tips on how to address tobacco cessation barriers including:

Our friends at PatientNavigatorMass.org have just announced its annual conference is open for registration.

I’m excited about this, as I am every year, because it brings together all kinds of people who work in this area of public health. Every year it’s gotten bigger, no wonder.

It’s also incredibly affordable: $25 for CHWs, students, and patient navigators and $40 for general admission. If your pockets aren’t that deep, they give scholarships. It’s worth attending even if you’re not in Massachusetts.

Details

Preparing the Workforce: The 7th Annual Patient Navigator/Community Health Worker Conference

Thursday, May 12, 2016
Four Points by Sheraton Norwood
1125 Boston-Providence Turnpike (Route 1), Norwood, MA