Prevalence, Knowledge and Perceptions of Smoking and Tobacco Products and Vape Among SEPAR Members

The professional dedicated to respiratory health has an exemplary role in tobacco control, promoting smoking cessation in their patients. However, multiple circumstances cause a low implementation. Therefore, the objective of the study is to identify the consumption, knowledge and perception of tobacco and its emerging products in a representative sample of professionals involved in the treatment of respiratory patients integrated into the Spanish Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery (SEPAR).

Descriptive analysis of a structured online interview addressed to 5340 SEPAR members.

In a sample of 802 respondents, more than 33% have smoked at some time and 6.6% continue to smoke. More than 66% consider smoking as a chronic disease. More than 90% consider their role model important and advise their patients to quit smoking, but less than half carry out a smoking intervention. Only 35% of them believe that the ban on smoking in health centers is always complied. More than 75% do not consider nicotine delivery devices an option for smoking cessation or harm reduction. 22% are unaware of water pipes and 29% of heated tobacco.

Professionals specialized in respiratory diseases are highly sensitized to smoking. Despite this, there are still weak points such as the insufficient implementation of smoking cessation interventions or the scant training in smoking and in new emerging products.