Do doctors stop giving quit-smoking advice when other programs are reaching their patients?

Area of Science:

• Medical Research
• Public Health
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Smoking cessation interventions are crucial for patient health.
• Hospital settings offer opportunities to advise patients on quitting smoking.
• Understanding doctors' practices in smoking cessation is essential for effective public health strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a routine hospital-based smoking identification and mailed cessation advice scheme on doctors' self-reported practices.
• To assess variations in smoking cessation counseling among different medical doctor categories.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 515 doctors from two public teaching hospitals in Melbourne, Australia.
• Doctors were surveyed before and after a mail-out cessation advice intervention in one hospital (intervention group) compared to a control hospital.
• Self-reported data on smoking cessation advice and counseling practices were collected.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in self-reported smoking cessation advice was observed between doctors in the intervention and control hospitals.
• Most doctors encouraged patients to quit by discussing risks, but fewer provided specific advice on how to stop.
• Internists reported higher willingness and assistance in smoking cessation compared to other doctor categories.

Conclusions:

• Routine identification and mailed cessation advice to hospital patients did not significantly alter doctors' self-reported smoking cessation activities.
• Internists appear to be more actively involved in providing smoking cessation counseling.
• Further strategies may be needed to enhance doctors' engagement in comprehensive smoking cessation support.