Related Experiment Videos
Do dentists and physicians advise tobacco users to quit?
S L Tomar1, C G Husten, M W Manley
1National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Ga 30341, USA.
Journal of the American Dental Association (1939)
|February 1, 1996
Summary
Dentists and physicians may miss chances to advise tobacco users to quit. Many patients who see these healthcare providers are not advised to quit smoking or using smokeless tobacco.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Tobacco Cessation
- Healthcare Provider Interventions
Background:
- Tobacco use remains a significant public health concern.
- Dentists and physicians are key healthcare providers who interact with patients regularly.
- Opportunities for tobacco cessation interventions by healthcare professionals are crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of dentists and physicians in advising tobacco users to quit.
- To determine the prevalence of tobacco cessation advice given by healthcare providers.
- To assess patient plans for quitting tobacco use.
Main Methods:
- Estimation of the percentage of US smokers visiting dentists or physicians.
- Analysis of the percentage of patients advised to quit by healthcare providers.
- Assessment of smokeless tobacco users' advice rates from dentists and physicians.
Main Results:
- A notable percentage of US smokers visit dentists or physicians annually.
- Many tobacco users are not advised to quit by their healthcare providers.
- Smokeless tobacco users also report infrequent advice to quit from dentists and physicians.
Conclusions:
- Dentists and physicians may not be fully utilizing opportunities for tobacco cessation counseling.
- Improved communication regarding the importance of quitting tobacco is needed.
- Enhanced provider-led interventions could significantly impact public health outcomes.