The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: This discussion will provide a conceptual integration of the presentations. The primary focus is on developing a comprehensive systems model of tobacco use, its uptake, maintenance and desistence. This transdisciplinary synthesis leads to an optimal approach to reducing population-wide tobacco use prevalence. The model employs a stepped care framework of intervention that ranges from minimal cost and intensity to maximal cost and intensity while at the same time distributing limited resources to reach the maximum number of indivduals with the appropriate level of intervention.

Methods: Based on a review of the evidence-based research on tobacco use behavior, from cells to society. Discussant will focus on the content of the prior presentations in this symposium.

Results: A comprehensive, stepped care model for population-wide intervention. The stepped care model provides continuity of care within a comprehensive systems approach to intervention and policy.