¿Por qué y cómo tener en cuenta al cannabis en nuestros pacientes fumadores?

El Proyecto ÉVICT (Evictproject.org), a raíz del aumento de consumo de cannabis en población juvenil española, ha estudiado su asociación con el tabaco, concluyendo que el consumo conjunto de tabaco y cannabis: tiene una influencia en el proceso de aprender a fumar, pues el inicio puede ser conjunto y con influencia bidireccional; tiene una influencia en el desarrollo de dependencia pues su interacción es relevante para el desarrollo de este trastorno, y tiene una influencia en la toxicidad, pues probablemente, el fumar tabaco y cannabis genera mayores problemas que fumar solo una de las 2. Y, por tanto, el equipo EVICT emite unas consideraciones en prevención: diferenciar uso medicinal y recreativo; comunicar que fumar cannabis no es terapéutico ni inocuo, y puede ayudar a generar dependencia de nicotina o, menos frecuentemente, al propio cannabis. Consideraciones en abordaje y tratamiento: en personas que consumen tabaco/cannabis debemos plantear como primera opción el cese de las 2 sustancias. Consideraciones en reducción de daños: a quienes solo consumen productos de tabaco/cannabis, los programas serían más aplicables a aquella cuyo consumo se considere más problemático

Effectiveness of a chat bot for smoking cessation: a pragmatic trial in Primary Care. (Déj@lo)

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of an intervention to help people to quit smoking throughout an chat bot compared with usual assistance to increase long-term rates of nicotine abstinence in smoking outpatients with biochemical validation at 6 months. Design: Pragmatic, randomised, controled and multicentric clinical trial. Six months follow-up. Setting: Health Care centers of Madrid Health Service. Participants: Smoking outpatients eighteen years and older who came to Health Center and accept help to quit in the next month. N = 460 smokers (230 in each arm), who will be recluted before ramdomization. Interventions: Intervention group: Use of an evidence-based Chat bot for smoking cessation. Control group: Usual care (Madrid Health System Portfolio). Main Measure: Continuous tobacco abstinence at six months biochemically validated (carbone monoxide in exhalled air). Analysis: With intention-to-treat principle. Proportion difference of continuous abstinence at 6 months between groups with 95% confidence interval. Logistic regression model dependent variable. Funding: Instituto de Salud Carlos III (Spanish Goverment), 2017 announcementof Health Investigation Projects (AES 2017),expedient number PI17/01942

Using behaviour change theory to train health workers on tobacco cessation support for tuberculosis patients: a mixed-methods study in Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan

Background Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are disproportionately impacted by interacting epidemics of tuberculosis (TB) and tobacco consumption. Research indicates behavioural support delivered by health workers effectively promotes tobacco cessation. There is, however, a paucity of training to support LMIC health workers deliver effective tobacco cessation behavioural support. The TB and Tobacco Consortium undertook research in South Asia to understand factors affecting TB health workers’ delivery of tobacco cessation behavioural support, and subsequently developed a training package for LMICs. Methods Using the “capability, opportunity, and motivation as determinants of behaviour” (COM-B) framework to understand any issues facing health worker delivery of behaviour support, we analysed 25 semi-structured interviews and one focus group discussion with TB health workers, facility in-charges, and national tuberculosis control programme (NTP) staff members in each country. Results were integrated with findings of an adapted COM-B questionnaire on health worker confidence in tobacco cessation support delivery, administered to 36 TB health workers. Based on findings, we designed a guide and training programme on tobacco cessation support for health workers. Results Qualitative results highlighted gaps in the majority of health workers’ knowledge on tobacco cessation and TB and tobacco interaction, inadequate training on patient communication, insufficient resources and staff support, and NTPs’ non-prioritization of tobacco cessation in all three countries. Questionnaire results reiterated the knowledge deficits and low confidence in patient communication. Participants suggested strengthening knowledge, skills, and competence through training and professional incentives. Based on findings, we developed an interactive two-day training and TB health worker guide adaptable for LMICs, focusing on evidence of best practice on TB and tobacco cessation support, communication, and rapport building with patients. Conclusions TB health workers are essential in addressing the dual burden of TB and tobacco faced by many LMICs. Factors affecting their delivery of tobacco cessation support can be identified using the COM-B framework, and include issues such as individuals’ knowledge and skills, as well as structural barriers like professional support through monitoring and supervision. While structural changes are needed to tackle the latter, we have developed an adaptable and engaging health worker training package to address the former that can be delivered in routine TB care