[Smoking habit questionnaire for outpatients]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Medical Practice
• Tobacco Control

Background:

• Physician counseling is a critical component of smoking cessation interventions.
• Understanding patient and physician perspectives on smoking cessation advice is essential for improving healthcare outcomes.
• Assessing the frequency of physician-physician and physician-patient interactions regarding smoking habits provides insight into current practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the frequency of physician-delivered smoking cessation advice and smoking habit assessment from both patient and physician viewpoints.
• To compare patient-reported experiences with physician-reported practices regarding smoking cessation interventions.
• To determine the prevalence of smoking among physicians and its relation to patient interactions.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire was administered to outpatients and Internal Medicine Service staff at a general hospital in September 1992.
• Data collected included patient smoking status, physician advice received, and physician frequency of smoking habit assessment.
• Physician smoking prevalence and in-office smoking behaviors were also assessed.

Main Results:

• Only 46% of interviewed smokers reported receiving physician advice to quit, with higher advice rates correlating with greater daily cigarette consumption.
• Physicians reported a higher frequency of assessing smoking habits (81% routinely) compared to patient reports (20% at every contact).
• Physician smoking prevalence was 43.3%, with 23.3% smoking in their offices, a rate higher than the patient smoking prevalence (37%).

Conclusions:

• There is a significant discrepancy between physician-reported and patient-reported frequencies of smoking cessation advice and habit assessment.
• Physician smoking prevalence is higher than patient prevalence, suggesting a need for targeted interventions within the healthcare profession.
• Implementing quitting programs for healthcare personnel is a crucial first step to enhance medical interventions against smoking.