Smoking behavior among hospital staff still influences attitudes and counseling on smoking

Abstract

Smoking among health professionals has been shown to influence smoking-related knowledge and counseling in clinical practice. The evidence regarding smoking as a risk factor has increased in the past decade. The present study was carried out in 2000 and investigated the associations between individual smoking behavior among hospital staff and (a). smoking-related knowledge, (b). attitudes toward counseling on smoking, and (c). self-reported smoking-related counseling provided by the staff. The study was based on a survey using self-administered questionnaires given to all hospital staff in a large university hospital in Denmark. Altogether, 82% of staff (2561) returned a completed questionnaire. Analyses focused on a subsample consisting of health professionals in the clinical wards (1429). Multivariate analyses were performed in which smoking-related knowledge, attitudes toward smoking-related counseling, smoking-related counseling practices, and self-rated qualifications for counseling were main outcome measures. Health professionals who were current smokers systematically underestimated the health consequences of smoking and differed significantly from nonsmokers in their assessments of smoking as a risk factor. Nonsmokers might overestimate smoking as a risk factor. Nonsmokers gave patients advice on smoking cessation significantly more often than did current smokers (ex-smokers, OR=2.5, 95% CI=1.8-3.4; never-smokers, OR=1.5, 95% CI=1.1-2.0). Ex-smokers and smokers felt significantly more qualified to counsel patients about smoking than did never-smokers (ex-smokers, OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.3-2.5; smokers, OR=1.4, 95% CI=1.0-1.9). Individual smoking behavior among hospital staff was strongly associated with smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and counseling practices. Lack of self-rated qualifications was a major barrier to professional counseling on smoking in a hospital framework.

Effects of a Tobacco Ban on Long-term Psychiatric Patients

“…8,49,50 Had the nonforensic staff in the present study been better able to prevent access to tobacco, the results there might have mirrored those in maximum security. Indeed, redoubled efforts at the end of the second year to eliminate tobacco might have been partly responsible for the return of aggression to pre-ban levels.…”

Does Quitting Smoking Make a Difference Among Newly Diagnosed Head and Neck Cancer Patients?

“…Even though 70% of cancer patients who smoke are motivated to quit smoking, only 56% of physicians recommend that their cancer patients who smoke stop smoking 52 and most oncology providers do not provide smoking interventions beyond advice to quit. 53 Our work 54 and the work of others [55][56][57][58][59] have shown that the major barriers to providers implementing smoking cessation services included lack of expertise and time. Education programs for health care providers as well as dedicated smoking cessation programs would improve tobacco treatment for cancer patients.…”

Agregación de factores de riesgo cardiovascular y conciencia de enfermedad en trabajadores de un hospital universitario

“…Al respecto, cabe mencionar que abordar el tabaquismo en los funcionarios de la salud trasciende más allá de ellos mismos, ya que ellos ejercen gran infl uencia sobre el tabaquismo general: desalientan el consumo, sirven como ejemplo, fomentan el ejercicio de la ley sobre la prohibición de fumar en los establecimientos de salud y sensibilizan a la sociedad sobre el tabaquismo como FR. De hecho, está demostrado que los médicos que no fuman, están más interesados en desalentar el consumo en sus pacientes fumadores 16,17 . Investigaciones en el área de la promoción de la salud en el ambiente laboral han documentado efectividad no sólo en cese tabáquico, sino además en antropometría, hábitos alimenticios, actividad física y morbimortalidad general 18 .…”