Getting Started

Beginning the client intervention:

Part of my job as a health professional is to promote a healthy lifestyle with all my clients. Following a healthy lifestyle can lessen the chance of developing many chronic diseases.

Take tobacco-free living for example:
Tobacco use and exposure to secondhand smoke causes many health problems. Quitting smoking reduces the risks for several chronic diseases.

ASK about the client’s use of tobacco:

• Suggestions:
  Have you used any tobacco products in the last 6 months?
  Have you ever tried to quit? How did it go?
  Have you ever used anything to help you quit like medications or nicotine replacement like the patch or gum?

If Yes, ADVISE the client about quitting smoking:

• Suggestions:
  The most important advice I can give you is to stop smoking.
  There are immediate health benefits when you quit.
  Sometimes it takes more than one quit attempt to stay quit.
  You learn something new about your smoking habit that will help you next time if you start again.

Turn to Tobacco-Free Living for additional points that may help you.

Click on the appropriate stage below for examples of what the health professional might say to clients. These are suggestions to stimulate your thinking about what you want to say to that particular client.