• Susan Trout, Adam O Goldstein, Lawrence Marks, and Carol Ripley-Moffitt.
• Department of Family Medicine, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
• J Palliat Med. 2018 Jun 1; 21 (6): 746750746-750.

BackgroundClinical practice guidelines recommend that all medical providers address tobacco use with patients, as the long-term health benefits of becoming tobacco free are well documented. What happens, though, when a patient has an incurable malignancy and, therefore, will not reap the long-term benefits? Clinical Consideration: Our case study encourages providers to consider the relevance of tobacco use treatment for those with incurable diseases.DiscussionAlthough long-term benefits will not provide realistic motivation, other equally important rewards (e.g., decreased shortness of breath), a sense of accomplishment shared by patients and family, and the ability to exert control over a behavior can be equally motivating for some patients.

25 keywords...

hide…