Knowledge and Attitudes of Pediatric Residents to Smoking Intervention in Adolescents

Tobacco use is an important, preventable public health problem, and its use usually begins in adolescence. For this reason, smoking intervention for tobacco control is considered one of the fields of pediatrics. This study aims to examine the knowledge and attitudes of pediatric residents toward tobacco control and smoking intervention.

In this multicenter study, pediatric residents were asked about their knowledge and attitudes toward adolescent smoking intervention and tobacco control through an online questionnaire.

A total of 271 pediatric residents participated in the study, and 56% of the residents stated that they asked adolescents with respiratory tract symptoms whether they smoked or not. However, 22% of pediatric residents stated that they asked the same question to adolescents regardless of their symptoms, 92% of residents were unaware of the International Diagnostic Code for tobacco use, and 86% of the participants reported that they did not receive any training on tobacco control. It was determined that the residents, who knew the national smoking cessation hotline, were female, smokers, and seniors. They asked the adolescents whether they smoked or not and the results were statistically significant (P < .05).

The results show that pediatric residents have insufficient knowledge about tobacco control and cannot guide adolescents in smoking intervention. This research reveals that pediatric residents need a training program for adolescent smoking intervention in the pediatric resident curriculum. Pediatricians who are well trained in adolescent tobacco control can make important contributions to the prevention of tobacco use in adults.