[The role of the occupational health physician in smoking cessation programmes: the experience of the "Clinica del Lavoro" of Milan].
<<The role of the occupational health physician in smoking cessation programmes: the experience of the "Clinica del Lavoro"of Milan>>.


BACKGROUND
The "Centre for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of tobacco dependency", set up at the Occupational and Environmental Respiratory Diseases Section of the Clinica del Lavoro in Milan in September 2000, can count on multidisciplinary expertise, including occupational health physicians, pneumologists and clinical psychologists. Each step of the diagnostic and therapeutic process is based on an integrated approach that considers both the biological aspects of tobacco dependency and the psychological and behavioural aspects. The Centre, moreover, within the framework of "Health Promotion" programmes, offers advice to businesses as regards the new legislation that prohibits smoking at the workplace.


METHODS
The proposed treatment programme is based on psychological and motivational support (personal or team work), that can be associated with pharmacological therapy, either as an alternative or an addition. The drug preferred is slow-releasing buproprione, which has proved to be extremely effective compared to other drugs in increasing the probability of smoking cessation and decreasing side effects.


RESULTS
In an occupational population of more than 2000 workers, we succeeded in treating about 51% of the subjects, who had stopped smoking, after one year from the beginning of the programme. The best results were achieved using the association of psychological support and buproprione therapy (54%), compared with the other methods (psychological support alone: 42%; psychological support and free nicotine replacement therapy: 33%).
Rivolta
G
G
S.C. Medicina del Lavoro I, Clinica del Lavoro L. Devoto, Milano.
Agnelli
Gianna Maria
GM
Bordini
L
L
Riboldi
L
L
D000328:Adult; D016642:Bupropion / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009787:Occupational Medicine; D010819:Physician's Role; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011613:Psychotherapy; D012907:Smoking / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D012944:Social Support; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000628:therapy*; D014495:Universities / Q000458:organization & administration; D017132:Workplace / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D016642:Bupropion