Primary care physician smoking screening and counseling for patients with chronic disease

Evidence-based guidelines recommend smoking cessation treatment, including screening and counseling, for all smokers, including those with chronic diseases exacerbated by smoking. Physician treatment improves smoking cessation. Little data describes smoking treatment guideline uptake for patients with chronic cardiopulmonary smoking-sensitive diseases.

Describe U.S. primary care physician (PCP) smoking cessation treatment during patient visits for chronic cardiopulmonary smoking-sensitive diseases.

The National (Hospital) Ambulatory Medical Care Survey captured PCP visits. We examined smoking screening and counseling time trends for smokers with chronic diseases. Multivariable logistic regression assessed factors associated with smoking counseling for smokers with chronic smoking-sensitive diseases.

From 2001-2009 smoking screening and counseling for smokers with chronic smoking-sensitive cardiopulmonary diseases were unchanged. Among smokers with chronic smoking-sensitive diseases, 50%-72% received no counseling. Smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) (odds ratio (OR)=6.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 4.85-8.83) and peripheral vascular disease (OR=4.50, 95% CI 1.72-11.75) were more likely to receive smoking counseling at chronic/preventive care visits, compared with patients without smoking-sensitive diseases. Other factors associated with increased smoking counseling included non-private insurance, preventive and longer visits, and an established PCP. Asthma and cardiovascular disease showed no association with counseling.

Smoking cessation counseling remains infrequent for smokers with chronic smoking-sensitive cardiopulmonary diseases. New strategies are needed to encourage smoking cessation counseling.