Do paediatricians provide brief intervention for adolescents who smoke?

This study aimed to describe the self-reported practice of paediatricians in brief interventions for adolescents who smoke. We also aimed to compare practice with confidence, skills and knowledge of brief intervention and nicotine replacement therapy after a targeted training programme.

Medical staff at The Children's Hospital at Westmead completed a questionnaire of clinical practice and confidence in brief intervention for smoking cessation. Data were analysed comparing self-reported practice with confidence, skill and knowledge of brief interventions, based on Fiore's 5A's approach (Ask about smoking at every opportunity, Assess willingness to quit, Advise patients to quit smoking, Assist quit attempts and Arrange follow up).

Fifty-seven clinicians completed questionnaires, 55 (96%) recognised the importance of asking adolescents about smoking. Thirty-one (54%) identified adolescent smokers all or most of the time, increasing to 50 (88%) if their presenting condition was associated with smoking. Twenty-five (44%) clinicians assessed the stage of change, 33 (58%) advised the adolescent to quit smoking, nine (16%) assisted quit attempts and 10 (17.5%) arranged follow up. Clinicians more confident in brief intervention skills, motivational interviewing and relapse prevention were more likely to use the 5A's (P<0.05). Training increased clinician's confidence in brief intervention skills and knowledge of nicotine replacement therapy (P<0.01); however, there was no statistically significant change in clinical practice 1 month post training.

Training paediatricians in brief intervention skills, motivational interviewing and relapse prevention can increase the use of 5A's brief intervention in clinical practice, potentially increasing quit attempts in adolescents who smoke.