Smoking has been identified as the strongest risk factor for pneumococcal pneumonia in healthy, non-elderly adults according to the New England Journal of Medicine, (March 2000: 342 (10); 681-689). Being admitted to the Hospital for a smoking-related illness can help to motivate people who smoke to quit.

The Joint Commission in conjunction with the Hospitals Quality Alliance (HQA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), recommend smoking cessation counseling for eligible persons with pneumonia.

The good news about the added health risk from smoking is that it is reduced when the person who smokes decides to quit. Not smoking helps the body to heal and improves overall health, but quitting can be difficult due to the addictive qualities of nicotine, one of the drugs ingested during smoking. Smokers, therefore, often require support and counseling. Helpful tips on quitting smoking from the National Cancer Institute are available at Smokefree.gov.

The most recent report (3rd Qtr., 2008) shows 96% of eligible UAMS pneumonia patients received information on how to quit smoking prior to discharge compared with the national average of 87% and the University Healthsystem Consortium average of 100%.