Healthcare Providers' Advice for Tobacco Cessation and Its Association With Quit Attempts: A Cross-sectional Study in...

Despite guideline recommendations to deliver cessation advice, implementation in Japan remains inconsistent. We examined tobacco use prevalence, receipt of healthcare providers' advice, and its association with quit attempts.

We analyzed the 2024 wave of a nationwide web-based survey (N = 27,374; ages 16-74 years). Non-probability quota sampling and post-stratification weighting were used to approximate national population distributions. Current (past 30-day) tobacco use was assessed for heated tobacco products (HTPs), cigarettes, non-cigarette combustible tobacco, and dual use (HTPs plus combustible). Exposure was receipt of healthcare providers' advice, and outcome was quit attempt in the past year. Associations were analyzed using multivariable Poisson regression to obtain adjusted prevalence ratios (APRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Overall, 24.2% reported current any tobacco product use: 12.9% HTPs, 17.8% cigarettes, 3.7% non-cigarette combustible, and 7.3% dual use. Among any tobacco users (N = 6,361), 13.2% received advice and 26.7% attempted to quit. Among any tobacco users currently receiving medical care (N = 2,779), 20.9% received advice, primarily from doctors (10.3%) and nurses (8.0%), and 29.9% attempted to quit. Compared with no advice, quit attempts were more likely when advice came from one professional (APR 1.28; 95% CI, 1.05-1.58) or multiple professionals (APR 1.61; 95% CI, 1.17-2.23). Exclusive HTP users were less likely than exclusive combustible tobacco smokers to attempt quitting (APR 0.57; 95% CI, 0.41-0.81).

Receipt of providers' advice remains low in Japan yet is strongly associated with quit attempts, especially with multi-professional involvement. Policy, training, and system-level supports are needed to strengthen provider engagement.