Medical Residents' and Practicing Physicians' e-Cigarette Knowledge and Patient Screening Activities: Do They Differ?

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Education
• Tobacco Control

Background:

• Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are increasingly prevalent.
• Understanding healthcare providers' perspectives on e-cigarettes is crucial for public health.
• Differences in knowledge and beliefs between trainees and experienced physicians warrant investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare medical residents and practicing physicians in primary care regarding their knowledge and beliefs about e-cigarettes.
• To assess the impact of time since medical school graduation on screening practices, patient recommendations, and information sources utilized.
• To identify potential gaps in medical education concerning e-cigarette use.

Main Methods:

• A statewide survey of Florida primary care medical residents (n=61) and practicing physicians (n=53).
• Data collected via online or paper surveys on screening, recommendations, beliefs, and knowledge related to e-cigarettes.
• Statistical analysis included chi-squared tests and regression models to compare groups.

Main Results:

• Practicing physicians were more likely to believe e-cigarettes lower cancer risk compared to cigarettes (P = .0003).
• Medical residents more frequently received e-cigarette information from colleagues (P = .0001).
• No significant differences were found in e-cigarette knowledge or patient recommendation practices between the groups.

Conclusions:

• Practicing physicians show greater acceptance of e-cigarette benefits and costs than medical residents.
• Medical residents appear more hesitant regarding e-cigarette use.
• Enhanced medical education and provider training are needed to improve confidence in discussing e-cigarette health risks and benefits.