Purpose: To describe the prevalence of self-reported smoking cessation counseling among non-primary care women physicians and to determine the association between physician demographic, professional, and personal characteristics and cessation counseling .
Significance: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States, and accounts for more than 430,000 deaths each year. Smoking cessation counseling, even brief, can be effective.
Methods: Conducted from 1993-1994, the WPHS is a nationally representative cross-sectional mailed survey of U.S. women physicians and included 4,501 respondents representing all major specialties. Non-primary care physicians included 10 specialty areas that were grouped into 6 categories: 1) anesthesiology; 2) general surgery and surgical subspecialist; 3) emergency medicine; 4) medical subspecialist; 5) psychiatry; and 6) other. Frequent counseling was defined as having counseled patients who were known smokers at every visit or at least once a year.
Results: Overall, 45% of non-primary care physicians frequently counsel. Medical subspecialists (80%) were most likely and psychiatrists (29%) least likely to frequently counsel. Perceived relevance of smoking cessation counseling to a physician’s practice and self-confidence in counseling about smoking cessation were associated with frequent counseling.
Conclusion: Physician counseling on cessation can reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality. Increasing perceived relevance and self-confidence, implementing system changes, and creating physician accountability can facilitate the provision of cessation counseling.
Learning Objectives: 1. Discuss the prevalence of smoking cessation counseling among non-primary care women physicians. 2. Articulate factors associated with frequent smoking cessation counseling. 3. Recognize barriers to counseling and identify possible solutions
Keywords: Physicians, Counseling
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.