Physicians and Smoking CessationA Survey of Office Procedures and Practices in the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation
Elizabeth A. Lindsay, PhD;
Judith K. Ockene, PhD;
Norman Hymowitz, PhD;
Carol Giffen, DVM;
Larry Berger, MD;
Paul Pomrehn, MD
Arch Fam Med. 1994;3(4):341-348.
Abstract
Objective
To obtain a baseline measure of tobacco control activities carried out by physicians and of tobacco control policies and practices in physician offices.
Design
All primary care physicians in 11 communities were asked through a mail survey about their tobacco control practices. Thirty offices in each community were randomly selected and interviewed by telephone to determine office policies and practices.
Setting
Both surveys assessed primary care settings in the 11 intervention communities.
Results
The physicians' survey (response rate, 48%) indicated that physicians report intervention with smokers more than 70% of the time, but the interventions rarely include key behavioral elements necessary for smoking modification. Physicians who received formal training in smoking cessation reported that they believed themselves to be more prepared and that they spent more time counseling patients than physicians who were not trained. The office survey (response rate, 83.2%) indicated that smoke-free policies are in place in most clinics and offices and that many offices provide printed materials on smoking cessation. However, few offices had staff to coordinate smoking cessation activities. These surveys will be repeated following the intervention phase of the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation to assess changes in counseling practices and office policies.
Conclusion
There is a positive relationship between attending training and intervening with more cessation activities. Physicians perceive themselves as prepared to help smokers, but few are providing more than advice to stop smoking.
Author Affiliations
for the Community Intervention Trial for Smoking Cessation Research Group
From the Community Health Research Unit, The University of Ottawa, Ontario (Dr Lindsay); Division of Preventive and Behavioral Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts, Worchester (Dr Ockene); Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Sciences, New Jersey Medical School, Newark (Dr Hymowitz); Information Management Services Inc, Bethesda, Md (Ms Giffen); Health Sciences Division, Lovelace Medical Foundation, Albuquerque, NM (Dr Berger); and the Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City (Dr Pomrehn).
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