Tobacco use prevalence, knowledge and attitudes, and tobacco cessation training among medical students: results of a pilot study of Global Health Professions Students Survey (GHPSS) in Italy

Aim

The aims of this study were to examine tobacco use prevalence, knowledge and attitudes, and tobacco cessation training among students attending Italian medical schools using the Global Health Professions Student Survey approach and to identify possible factors associated with smoking status.

Subjects and Methods

A multicentre cross-sectional pilot study was carried out in five Italian Schools of Medicine from March to April 2009. Questionnaires were administered in anonymous, voluntary and self-administered form to third year students attending medical schools. The outcome measure was ??being a current smoker??. A logistic regression was used to evaluate possible factors associated with smoking status.

Results

The prevalence of current smokers was 31.4%. More than half considered health professionals as models for patients, and around 90% thought health professionals have a role in giving advice or information about smoking cessation. Only 5.8% of responders had received smoking cessation training during medical school. Medical students who considered healthcare professionals as behavioural models had lower likelihood of smoking (OR?=?0.52).

Conclusions

Given the high prevalence of smokers among medical students and the poorness of smoking cessation programmes, it is important to create tobacco control training programmes addressed to healthcare students.     

Tobacco use and cessation among medical students in Croatia – results of the Global Health Professionals Pilot Survey (GHPS) in Croatia, 2005

Summary Objectives: To collect information from third year medical students attending Croatian medical schools on prevalence of cigarette smoking and other tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke, desire to quit using tobacco, attitudes and training concerning counselling patients on tobacco cessation. Methods: Global Health Professionals Survey (GHPS) was conducted in 2005 in all four Croatian medical schools with a census of third year medical students (404 out of 409, response rate 98.5 %) using an anonymous, confi dential and self-reported questionnaire. Results: More than two thirds (67.4 %) of medical students in Croatia have ever smoked cigarettes, and over one third (36.6 %) are smoking cigarettes currently. Half of the medical students (50.4 %) report exposure to second hand smoke at home. Less than a third of current smokers (30.9 %) have received cessation assistance when they tried to quit. Conclusions: Our findings indicate significant tobacco use among medical students in Croatia. There is an urgent need to reduce this harmful behaviour through more comprehensive public health initiatives, provision of support for cessation among health professionals who smoke and provision of training to health professionals to assist their patients with cessation. Submitted: 09 February 2007; Revised: 06 June 2007; Accepted: 03 January 2008     

Smoking cessation intervention practices in Chinese physicians: do gender and smoking status matter?

Healthcare settings provide a major arena for administering smoking cessation interventions. However, few studies have reported differences in the frequency of practice in healthcare professionals by gender and smoking status. This might also be influenced by a difference in smoking prevalence by gender, especially in China and other developing countries. This study examined factors associated with the frequency of cessation intervention practices by smoking status among Chinese physicians in men and women. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2006 in physicians with direct patient contact from nine hospitals in Guangzhou with a response rate of 60.8%. Significantly more female physicians who were non-smokers (79.7%) reported "initiation and/or advice" smoking cessation interventions than male physicians who were smokers (71.2%) and non-smokers (71.6%). Factors significantly associated with "initiation and/or advice" were prior smoking cessation training (OR = 4.2, 95% CI 1.8-9.6) and lack of knowledge to help patients to quit (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.9) among male physicians who smoked; and organisational support (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.3-2.2) and successful past experience (OR = 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-1.0) among male physicians who did not smoke. Among female physicians who did not smoke, significant factors were agreeing that quitting smoking is the most cost-effective way to prevent chronic disease and cancer (OR = 3.0, 95% CI 1.4-6.1), helping patients stop smoking is part of expected role and responsibility (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.0-3.7), lack of knowledge to help patients to quit (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.2-1.0) and organisational support (OR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.0-1.6) for non-smoking female physicians. This study is the first to show that male physicians were less likely to provide smoking cessation counselling regardless of their smoking status while non-smoking female physicians were more active in advising patients on quitting. The findings highlight the need for developing tailored smoking cessation training programmes for physicians according to their smoking status and gender in China.     

Tobacco-cessation services and patient satisfaction in nine nonprofit HMOs

BACKGROUND: The U.S. Public Health Service clinical practice guideline calls for clinicians and healthcare organizations to identify and treat every tobacco user seen in a healthcare setting. There is little information on the extent of compliance with the guideline's treatment model described by the "5A's" (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange). METHODS: In 1999-2000 a survey was mailed to 64,764 members aged 25 to 75 years, of nine nonprofit HMOs participating in the National Cancer Institute-funded Cancer Research Network. These plans provide medical care to more than 8 million Americans including a minority enrollment of 30%. Smokers were asked about tobacco-cessation treatments received during primary care visits in the past year. RESULTS: A 70% response rate identified a smoking prevalence of 10% (n=4207). Results indicated that 90% of smokers were asked about smoking, 71% were advised to quit, 56% were assessed for their willingness to quit, 49% received assistance interventions, and 9% had follow-up arranged. Treatment was provided more often to smokers who asked for help and/or intended to quit. Few and only modest associations were found between other patient characteristics and receipt of 5A's cessation services. In contrast to widely reported concerns about smokers' resistance to tobacco interventions, smokers who received treatment were more satisfied with health plan services. CONCLUSIONS: Results demonstrate substantial clinician compliance with the first two steps-Ask and Advise. Greater efforts are needed in providing the more effective tobacco treatments-Assist and Arrange. Compliance with the guideline is associated with greater patient satisfaction.     

北京市海淀区医务人员吸烟状况及控烟知识、态度、行为现况调查

[目的]了解北京市海淀区医务人员吸烟和控烟能力现状,为开展医务人员戒烟活动,提高控烟服务能力提供科学依据。[方法]采用系统抽样方法,调查6家医院的医务人员。[结果]现吸烟率9.7%,男性吸烟率39.8%。吸烟者主要是临床一线的中年医生,且为中、高级职称的医院内业务骨干。43.3%的医务人员在吸烟区吸烟。71.2%的医务人员没有接受过戒烟方面的培训。大多数的医务人员对控烟态度积极。27.9%的医务人员能根据患者的吸烟情况为其制定戒烟计划。87.9%的医务人员提醒过吸烟的患者戒烟,但吸烟的医务人员提醒患者戒烟的比例低于从不吸烟的医务人员。[结论]开展控烟系列培训提高医务人员整体的控烟能力。运用行政干预与健康教育相结合的手段促使吸烟的医务人员戒烟。     

The effectiveness of brief advice and extended smoking cessation counseling programs when implemented routinely in hospitals

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of two in-hospital smoking cessation interventions -- brief advice and extended counseling with follow-up. METHODS: The subjects (n=770) were in-patients who were daily smokers or had stopped smoking 30 days preceding admission to 15 wards in five Swedish hospitals. All wards started with a control period. Thereafter, eight wards treated patients with brief advice by a nurse and seven provided bedside support by a trained counselor plus telephone support for up to 30 days after discharge. RESULTS: The one-year point prevalence self-reported cessation rate of 22% for brief advice and 28% for extended counseling was not significantly better than usual care. The odds ratios were 1.12 (95% CI 0.63, 2.01) and 1.25 (95% CI 0.80, 1.98) respectively. The response rate was 79%. Brief advice was refused by 17% of the patients and extended counseling by 34%. Only half of the brief advice and one third of counseled patients received the complete program, and cessation rates among them were 25% and 38% respectively. CONCLUSION: In a hospital setting, neither brief advice nor extended counseling significantly increased cessation rates. However, patients who received the entire intervention were more successful at quitting. Effective implementation of current interventions may be more productive in reducing smoking than a search for better treatments.     

Smoking health professional student: an attitudinal challenge for health promotion?

Tobacco is a major preventable cause of premature morbidity and mortality. Health professionals are uniquely positioned to provide targeted interventions and should be empowered to provide cessation counselling that influence patient smoking. A cross-sectional national survey was administered to all third year students in four disciplines at the University of Malta. The Global Health Professional Student Survey (GHPSS) questionnaire was distributed to collect standardised demographic, smoking prevalence, behavioural, and attitudinal data. 81.9% completed the questionnaire (n = 173/211). A positive significant association between tobacco smoke exposure at home and current smoking status was identified. Non-smokers regarded anti-tobacco policies more favourably than smokers, being more likely to agree with banning of tobacco sales to adolescents (OR 3.6; 95% CI: 2.5-5.3; p ≤ 0.001); and with a smoking ban in all public places (OR 8.9; 95% CI: 6.1-13.1; p ≤ 0.001). Non-smokers favoured a role for health professionals in promoting smoking cessation (OR 5.1; 95% CI: 3.1-8.5; p ≤ 0.001). Knowledge of antidepressants as tools for smoking cessation was also associated with a perceived role for skilled health professionals in cessation counselling (OR 4.9; 95% CI: 1.8-13.3; p = 0.002). Smoking negatively influences beliefs and attitudes of students toward tobacco control. There is a need to adopt a standard undergraduate curriculum containing comprehensive tobacco prevention and cessation training to improve their effectiveness as role models.     

Cardiovascular risk factor assessment after pre-eclampsia in primary care

Background

Individual counselling, pharmacotherapy, and group therapy are evidence-based interventions that help patients stop smoking. Acupuncture, hypnosis, and relaxation have no demonstrated efficacy on smoking cessation, whereas self-help material may only have a small benefit. The purpose of this study is to assess physicians' current clinical practice regarding smokers motivated to stop smoking.

Methods

The survey included 3385 Swiss primary care physicians. Self-reported use of nine smoking cessation interventions was scored. One point was given for each positive answer about practicing interventions with demonstrated efficacy, i.e. nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, counselling, group therapy, and smoking cessation specialist. No points were given for the recommendation of acupuncture, hypnosis, relaxation, and self-help material. Multivariable logistic analysis was performed to identify factors associated with a good practice score, defined as ≥ 2.

Results

The response rate was 55%. Respondents were predominately over the age of 40 years (88%), male (79%), and resided in urban areas (74%). Seventeen percent reported being smokers. Most of the physicians prescribed nicotine replacement therapy (84%), bupropion (65%), or provided counselling (70%). A minority of physicians recommended acupuncture (26%), hypnosis (8%), relaxation (7%), or self-help material (24%). A good practice score was obtained by 85% of respondents. Having attended a smoking cessation-training program was the only significant predictor of a good practice score (odds ratio: 6.24, 95% CI 1.95–20.04).

Conclusion

The majority of respondents practice recommended smoking cessation interventions. However, there is room for improvement and implementing an evidence-based smoking cessation-training program could provide additional benefit.     

An academic detailing intervention to disseminate physician-delivered smoking cessation counseling: smoking cessation outcomes of the Physicians Counseling Smokers Project

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the effectiveness of interventions to disseminate smoking cessation interventions among a population of primary care physicians. This study's objective was to determine the effect of a community-based academic detailing intervention on the quit rates of a population-based sample of smokers. METHODS: This community-based, quasi-experimental study involved representative samples of 259 primary care physicians and 4295 adult smokers. An academic detailing intervention was delivered to physicians in intervention areas over a period of 15 months. Analyses were performed on the data from the 2346 subjects who reported at least one physician visit over 24 months. Multivariate regression analyses were conducted to determine the impact of the intervention on self-reported smoking quit rates, reported by adjusted odds ratios. RESULTS: Among smokers reporting a physician visit during the study period, there was a borderline significant effect for those residing in intervention areas versus control areas (OR = 1.35; 95% CI.99-1.83; P = 0.057). Among a subgroup of 819 smokers who reported a visit with an enrolled physician, we observed a significant effect for those residing in intervention areas (OR = 1.80; 95% CI 1.16-2.75; P = 0.008). CONCLUSION: An academic detailing intervention to enhance physician delivered smoking cessation counseling is an effective strategy for disseminating smoking cessation interventions among community-based practices.     

Patient referral to a smoking cessation program: who follows through?

BACKGROUND. While health care providers are often urged to refer smokers to a smoking cessation program, little information is available about patient adherence to such advice. METHODS. A group of primary care patients who smoked (N = 1380) received brief advice to quit from their provider, and were then asked to stay and talk to a counselor for more information. Counselors randomly delivered one of two interventions. For the intervention group, referral to a specific group cessation program was emphasized, and for the control group, quitting advice was merely repeated. The referral intervention included a video in which role models testified to the acceptability and usefulness of the HMO's group program. The usual program fees were waived, and patients received a supportive, follow-up telephone call 1 week after their visit. RESULTS. In the referral intervention group, 53.2% of patients agreed to go to the cessation program and 11.3% actually attended, compared with only .006% of the patients who received advice only. Logistic regression analyses revealed that patients who were contemplating quitting were more than five times as likely to respond to the referral compared to precontemplators (smokers who were not seriously considering quitting). Older, heavier smokers were also more likely to attend a group session. CONCLUSIONS. An intensive, specific referral to a group smoking cessation program can increase participation by patients. Most patients, however, will not attend a group program; therefore, a brief office-based intervention for all smokers should precede referral.     

Enabling the NSW health workforce to provide evidence-based smoking-cessation advice through competency-based training delivered via video conferencing

Tobacco-related disease is estimated to cost the NSW health system more than $476 million in direct health care costs annually. Population-based smoking-cessation interventions, including brief intervention by health professionals, are effective and cost effective. As the prevalence of smoking in the general community declines, more highly dependent 'treatment-resistant' smokers may present a challenge to the health system. International guidelines recommend that health systems invest in training for health professionals in best practice smoking cessation. As part of the NSW Tobacco Action Plan 2005-2009, NSW Department of Health developed national competency standards in smoking cessation, designed learning and assessment materials and delivered training to more than 300 health professionals via video conference. Building the capacity of the NSW Health workforce to address smoking cessation as part of their routine practice is essential for addressing future challenges in tobacco control.     

Factors which differentiate smokers from ex-smokers among cardiovascular patients: a discriminant analysis

A retrospective analysis of smoking behavior among hospitalized, cardiovascular patients was conducted in order to describe factors which differentiate smokers from ex-smokers. Ex-smokers were defined as smokers who abstained from smoking for at least 6 months prior to admission to the hospital. A multifactor model of variables related to smoking cessation was tested utilizing a survey instrument which measured health beliefs, health locus of control, a standardized measure of stress (habits of nervous tension), social supports and tendency to utilize social and over-the-counter medication. Social support for cessation measured as the degree of disapproval of smoking by the respondents social network and belief in susceptibility to the smoking--disease linkage were the factors which most highly differentiated smokers and ex-smokers among the respondents. The standardized measure of stress did not differentiate the groups. The efficacy of routine health counselling concerning negative effects of smoking by health professionals and the encouragement and structuring of social supports for smoking cessation among high risk populations should be further investigated as an alternative or adjunct to more elaborate and formal programs of smoking cessation.     

Prevalence and Correlates of Smoking among Low-Income Adults Residing in New York City Public Housing Developments—2015

To guide targeted cessation and prevention programming, this study assessed smoking prevalence and described sociodemographic, health, and healthcare use characteristics of adult smokers in public housing. Self-reported data were analyzed from a random sample of 1664 residents aged 35 and older in ten New York City public housing developments in East/Central Harlem. Smoking prevalence was 20.8%. Weighted log-binomial models identified to be having Medicaid, not having a personal doctor, and using health clinics for routine care were positively associated with smoking. Smokers without a personal doctor were less likely to receive provider quit advice. While most smokers in these public housing developments had health insurance, a personal doctor, and received provider cessation advice in the last year (72.4%), persistently high smoking rates suggest that such cessation advice may be insufficient. Efforts to eliminate differences in tobacco use should consider place-based smoking cessation interventions that extend cessation support beyond clinical settings.     

Knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding smoking cessation among Chinese affiliates of women's organisations in Hong Kong

Volunteers and staff of women's organisations who are highly active in engaging and providing community service can be recruited to motivate female smokers to quit. We described the knowledge and attitudes regarding tobacco control and smoking cessation among these affiliates in Hong Kong and identified factors associated with the practices of cessation interventions. Eight of 14 women's organisations joining the Women Against Tobacco Taskforce agreed to participate. All staff, volunteers, and members of the eight organisations were invited to complete a self-administered anonymous questionnaire during July and August 2006. A total of 623 out of 771 (80.8%) affiliates responded. Their knowledge on smoking and health (mean = 3.91, SD = 1.44 on a range of 0-7), smoking related diseases (mean = 2.91, SD = 0.97 on a range of 0-4), and women-specific diseases (mean = 2.93, SD = 1.87 on a range of 0-6), was considered to be inadequate. They had positive attitudes towards tobacco control (mean = 3.31, SD = 0.55) and their own role in smoking cessation counselling (mean = 3.19, SD = 0.56) on a 4-point Likert scale and 39.3% reported had attempted to offer quitting advice. Logistic regression analysis found that participants having direct contact with smokers who had a positive attitude towards their own role in smoking cessation counselling (OR = 2.57; 95% CI = 1.67-3.95) and better knowledge of smoking and smoking-related diseases (OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.06-1.71) were more likely to provide cessation counselling after controlling for gender; knowledge on smoking and health, and women-specific diseases; attitude towards tobacco control, negative and positive attitudes towards female smokers, and perceived self-efficacy in smoking cessation counselling. Women's organisations showed limited support towards tobacco control and their affiliates had a limited knowledge on smoking and health but had positive attitudes. Appropriate training, capacity building and establishing rapport with women's organisations are needed to promote smoking cessation and to support tobacco control in the community.     

Increasing smoking cessation care in a preoperative clinic: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Evidence suggests that preoperative clinics, like other hospital outpatient clinics and inpatient wards, fail to systematically provide smoking cessation care to patients having planned surgery. METHODS: The aim of the study was to assess the efficacy, acceptability, and cost of a multifaceted intervention to facilitate the provision of comprehensive smoking cessation care to patients attending a preoperative clinic. Two hundred ten smoking patients attending a preoperative clinic at a major teaching hospital in Australia took part in the study. One hundred twenty-four patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group and 86 patients to a usual cessation care group. A multifaceted intervention was developed that included the use of opinion leaders, consensus processes, computer-delivered cessation care, computer-generated prompts for care provision by clinic staff, staff training, and performance feedback. RESULTS: Ninety-six percent of experimental group patients received behavioral counseling and tailored self-help material. Experimental group patients were significantly more likely than usual care patients to report receiving brief advice by nursing (79% vs. 47%; P < 0.01) and anaesthetic (60% vs. 39%; P < 0.01) staff. Experimental group patients who were nicotine dependent were also more likely to be offered preoperative nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (82% vs. 8%; P < 0.01) and be prescribed postoperative NRT (86% vs. 0%; P < 0.01). The multifaceted intervention was found to be acceptable by staff. CONCLUSION: A multifaceted clinical practice change intervention may be effective in improving the delivery of smoking cessation care to preoperative surgical patients.     

A survey of Massachusetts physicians' smoking intervention practices

Attitudes toward smoking intervention, and the intervention practices of 65 residents, 51 attending physicians, and 292 community physicians in central and western Massachusetts were assessed through a mailed questionnaire. Nearly all physicians reported that they obtained information on the smoking status of new patients and told smokers to quit. Proportionately fewer physicians, however, reported that they counseled their patients on how to stop smoking; those who did, did so for relatively brief periods of time. After differences in physician age and smoking status were controlled for, residents were significantly more likely than attending physicians to counsel their patients on how to stop smoking, but were also more likely (than attending and community physicians) to recommend or refer their patients to formal smoking cessation programs. A small percentage of the physicians responding (3%-16%) reported that they were prepared to counsel smokers, but most reported that information on where to refer patients, smoking cessation techniques, and skills training would be of great value. The results of this survey suggest practical differences between residents and attending and community physicians in approaching patients who smoke and in attitudes toward the need for additional skills and financial and organizational assistance.     

Evaluation of the "Time to Quit" self-help smoking cessation program.

Public health and hospital nurses have widespread contact with smokers; an effective smoking cessation program administered by nurses has tremendous potential. This study evaluated: 1) the effectiveness of the self-help cessation program, "Time to Quit"/"Moi aussi, j'écrase" (TTQ), provided on a one-to-one basis; and 2) a smoking cessation training program for baccalaureate nursing students. Nursing students recruited 307 smokers who were randomly assigned to receive one of two interventions. Control smokers received a list of community smoking cessation resources and experimental subjects received this list plus TTQ. Smoking self-reports and cotinine levels were obtained at baseline, six weeks and nine months. More smokers receiving TTQ had reduced at six weeks post-intervention, while there were no differences in quit or reduction rates at the nine-month follow-up. Students were positive about learning the techniques and their knowledge scores were significantly higher than those of non-participating students.     

Establishment and evaluation of a smoking cessation clinic in Hong Kong: a model for the future service provider

BACKGROUND: In the West, the effectiveness of smoking cessation programmes is well established. Smoking cessation programmes in the East are rare. We evaluated a pilot smoking cessation health centre (SCHC) of the Hong Kong Council on Smoking and Health (COSH). METHODS: The clinic operated 3 days a week from 6 to 9 pm. Smokers were recruited mainly by low cost publicity. Trained counsellors provided individual counselling and a 1 week free supply of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). The programme was evaluated in terms of process, outcome and cost. RESULTS: During August 2000 to January 2002, 2212 calls were received through the clinic hotline and 1203 smokers attended the clinic. Eight hundred and forty-one were successfully followed up at 12 months. Based on intention-to-treat analysis, the 7 day point prevalence quit rate at 12 months (not smoking any cigarette during the past 7 days at the 12 month follow-up) was 27 per cent (95 per cent confidence interval, CI 25-30 per cent). The average cost per quitter was USD 339 (USD 440 including NRT cost for a 1 week free supply). Other benefits included training of healthcare workers and medical students, organization of seminars, health talks and self-help groups, and promotion of research and training. CONCLUSION: This first evaluation of a clinic-based smoking cessation service in Asia showed that the service was acceptable to Chinese smokers. The quit rate in this pilot part-time clinic is comparable to those of full-time and better funded clinics in the West. A part-time smoking cessation clinic is a promising model for piloting smoking cessation services in the East.     

Autonomía y heteronomía,una alianza necesaria para el abordaje del tabaquismo. Visión de profesionales y pacientes

ObjectiveTo explore the perception of professionals and patients with regard to ethical issues involved in addressing the habit of smoking in primary care consultations.MethodA qualitative study was designed, consisting of 12 semi-structured interviews with professionals, 7 interviews with patients and 2 focus groups with 6 professionals and 7 primary care patients (a total of 32 participants). An intentional sampling was conducted, including profiles of professionals and patients of both sexes, different ages and experience in relation to smoking. A content analysis was performed with an inductive analytical approach from data to the creation of theoretical categories.ResultsFour main categories were identified: 1) ethical issues related to the responsibility of the professional when treating patients who smoke; 2) issues related to attitude to patients who smoke; 3) issues related to fair and equitable distribution of resources and to the role of the different levels of government in relation to the control of smoking; and 4) issues related to smokers’ autonomy regarding their habit and smoking cessation.ConclusionsAn alliance is needed between the ethics that support the autonomy of patients who smoke and the regulation of tobacco consumption. This approach should be included in clinical training programmes dealing with tobacco use, dependence and cessation.     

青岛市成人戒烟现况及影响因素分析

目的 分析青岛市成人戒烟状况和戒烟意愿的影响因素。方法 采取多阶段分层随机抽样的方法,在青岛市抽取5 000名15岁及以上的居民,采取入户调查的方式进行问卷调查。根据2010年第六次普查人口加权计算,采用戒烟率、尝试戒烟次数、医生戒烟建议等指标描述戒烟行为,采用复杂抽样Logistic单因素和多因素分析,探讨吸烟者戒烟意愿的影响因素。结果 青岛市成年吸烟者戒烟率为20.2%;吸烟者尝试戒烟和意愿戒烟的比例分别为24.8%和13.5%,54.6%的尝试戒烟者在过去12个月尝试戒烟2次以上;就诊的吸烟者中有66.8%的人接受过医生的戒烟建议。多因素分析显示,在控制其它影响因素后,只有烟草危害知识知晓情况和是否尝试过戒烟会影响戒烟意愿。结论 青岛市人群目前尝试戒烟率较低,应提高戒烟服务的专业性和可及性,促进吸烟者尝试戒烟,同时制定针对性的控烟宣传策略,提高未来戒烟意愿。