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Task Force reaffirms recommendations for screening and counseling all adults and pregnant women for tobacco use

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has reaffirmed its 2003 recommendation that clinicians ask all adults about tobacco use and provide tobacco cessation interventions for those who smoke. Tobacco dependence is responsible for nearly half a million deaths each year from heart disease, respiratory disease, and cancer. The Task Force also reaffirmed its recommendation that clinicians ask all pregnant women about tobacco use and provide augmented, pregnancy-tailored counseling for those who smoke. Smoking during pregnancy results in the death of about 1,000 infants annually and is associated with an increased risk for premature birth and intrauterine growth retardation.

The recommendations are based on information found in the updated U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline—Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update. The recommendations are published in the April 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine and are available on the AHRQ Web site at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspstbac2.htm.

The USPSTF is the leading independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care.  Supported by AHRQ, the Task Force conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications.  Its recommendations are considered the gold standard for clinical preventive services.

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