Monitoring the tobacco epidemic with national, regional, and international databases and systematic reviews: evidence for nursing research and clinical decision making.
Tobacco use (primarily cigarette smoking) continues to be the most preventable health risk in the United States and the second greatest health threat around the world. In 2020 the global burden is expected to exceed nine million deaths annually. Nursing, with the largest numbers of health care professionals has an opportunity to make a significant reduction in tobacco use through its research and client-focused care. This chapter addresses why and how monitoring the tobacco epidemic with population-based databases and meta-analyses is important for nurse researchers and for evidence-based nursing practice. Population-based surveys permit an examination of trends in tobacco use and the progress in tobacco control with some confidence across time, places (i.e., states, nations, communities, etc.), and large numbers of participants. Included in this review are a description of the numerous national and international databases and other resources that nurse researchers can use to build the science of tobacco use. Additionally, research reviews and meta-analyses are described as other vehicles for providing a basis for making evidence-based decisions about nursing intervention. Nurse scientists have an obligation to use and evaluate these diverse resources to determine the gaps in knowledge, provide a foundation for clinical practice, and identify the needs and directions for future research in the field.
Rice
Virginia Hill
VH
Wayne State University, College of Nursing & Karmanos Cancer Institute, USA.
D016208:Databases, Factual; D055318:Evidence-Based Nursing / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D015399:Nursing Research / Q000379:methods*; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D012042:Registries; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*