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Background There have been few studies conducted on Electronic Medical Records (EMR) among medical doctors who practice in resource limited settings. This study aimed to assess the attitude to and willingness of medical doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital to use EMR and to identify the factors that are associated with the willingness to use EMR. Methods A stratified sampling method was used to select medical doctors to participate in the study according to their experience and professional cadre. A pretested self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data which were entered and analyzed using the Epi-info version 7 software. Statistically significant associations were tested using the chi-square and fishers exact tests. Results There were 202 participants in the study. All (100%) had good attitude towards EMR. Nearly all of them (96.54%) were willing to use EMR. There was no significant association between age, gender and willingness to use EMR. However, there was a statistically significant association with work duration and IT skills (p< 0.05). Conclusion Work duration and IT skills are significant factors in determining the willingness to use EMR. There is therefore a need to include IT skills acquisition in medical training so as to increase the chance of use of EMR.

This study provides empirical evidence showing that there is poor documentation of tobacco use inquiry and brief intervention among physicians in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria. Records showing implementation of the 5A's were abysmally low and opportunities for brief intervention may have been missed. In line with the World Health Organization recommendations of Article 14 of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, efforts to promote brief intervention among physicians in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria should include an emphasis on appropriate documentation of tobacco control interventions in patient clinical notes.

Background: One of the requirements of the Osun State smoke-free legislation is to ensure smoke-free enclosed and partially enclosed workplaces. This survey was conducted to assess the knowledge and attitude of workers in indoor bars, beer parlors and discotheques to smoke-free legislation in general and the Osun State smoke-free law in particular. Methods: A convenience sampling of 36 hospitality centers was conducted. Interviewer-administered questionnaires were used to elicit responses about the objectives from non-smoking workers. The questionnaires had sections on knowledge of the Osun State smoke-free law, attitude toward the law and smoke-free legislation in general and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke by the workers. Questions were also asked about the secondhand tobacco smoking status of these workers. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 15.0. Results: We had 154 participants recruited into the study. There were 75 males (48.0%) and 79 females (52.0%). On the overall, respondents had a good knowledge of the effects of second-hand smoke on health (70.2%) with 75.0% of them being aware of the general smoke-free law and 67.3% being aware of the Osun State smoke-free law although none of them had ever seen a copy of the law. A high proportion (60.0%) was in support of the Osun smoke-free law although all of them think that the implementation of the law could reduce patronage and jeopardize their income. Attitude toward second-hand smoking was generally positive with 72.0% of them having no tolerance for second-hand tobacco smoke in their homes. Most participants (95.5%) had been exposed to tobacco smoke in the workplace within the past week. Conclusion: Despite the high level of awareness of the respondents about the dangers of second hand smoke and their positive attitude to smoke-free laws, nearly all were constantly being exposed to second hand smoke at work. This calls for policy level interventions to improve the implementation of the smoke-free law. Implications for policy makers• The result of the study provides a baseline before the proposed commencement of implementation of the Osun State smoke-free law and a basis for policy-makers to follow-up to assess the effectiveness of the implementation process. •The results also have the potential of providing a driving force for stakeholders involved in the Nigerian national tobacco control policy process. • Policy-makers also have the opportunity of initiating more widespread research into enforcement of the smoke-free law in Nigeria as a model for what might obtain in similar settings. Implications for publicOur work found that despite 7 years of existence of the Osun State smoke-free law, and despite the fact that many of the workers in enclosed spaces in bars, beer parlors and discotheques had awareness, they were continuously exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke in their workplaces. This finding has implications in public health because it clearly indicates that the workplace smoke-free policy and law in the state has so far not ...

Objective. To assess the characteristics, self-reported tobacco use, knowledge, and perceptions about smoking cessation among cancer care providers (CCPs), as well as perceived barriers to inform interventions that can potentially improve quitting rates and the prognosis of cancer patients in Latin America. Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 996 CCPs in six cancer institutions located in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru. An online survey consisting of 28 close-ended questions adapted from the 2012 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer survey and the Global Adult Tobacco Survey was administered. Results. The majority of CCPs, ranging from 86.1% in Mexico to 95.9% in Brazil, agreed or strongly agreed that smoking cessation should be integrated into cancer treatment. However, inadequate training on smoking cessation was reported by 66.9%, 69.4%, 70.4%, 72.9%, 85.8%, and 86.4% in Mexico, Colombia (Floridablanca), Argentina, Peru, Brazil, and Colombia (Medellín), respectively, and this difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Moreover, current cigarette smoking prevalence among CCPs was 2.5% in Brazil, 4.6% in Peru, 6.3% in Colombia (Floridablanca), 10.4% in Colombia (Medellín), 11.5% in Mexico, and 15.1% in Argentina, showing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.001). Conclusions. Efforts in Latin America should be geared toward assisting CCPs with their quitting efforts and training in smoking cessation practices aimed at achieving a better prognosis and improving cancer patients’ quality of life.