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United States
Medicare tries to help seniors quit smoking
Mis en ligne le 28/02/2005
Medicare & Medicaid Services in order to help older smokers kick the habit, has extended its coverage for cessation counselling and treatments prescribed by physicians, to seniors with illnesses caused by or complicated by smoking or who take medications affected by smoking.
The policy is based on evidence indicating that kicking the habit will lead to immediate and long-term benefits, including lowered blood pressure, improved lung function and reduced risk for heart attack. Experts predict that ultimately the coverage could save as many as 95,000 years of life over a 10-year period. About 440,000 people die annually from smoking-related diseases, among them 300,000 seniors. The Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 9.3% of Americans 65 or older smoke cigarettes. Many of them became addicted during the era when tobacco's link to death and disability was not concrete. As a result, some seniors believe they are invulnerable. These smokers have generally already lived through multiple failed quit attempts or have quit and relapsed. Amednews (Never too old to quit : You can help the elderly stop smoking ; 21/02/2005) reports that according to a 2002 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 57% of smokers 65 or older reported a desire to quit. Currently, about 10% quit each year, with 1% relapsing. "Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence" is a Public Health Service clinical practice guideline which offers physicians a set of broad strokes that can be tailored to the older patient. www.ama-assn.org
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