Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physician Smoking Status May Influence Cessation Counseling Practices

  • Quantitative Research
  • Published:
Canadian Journal of Public Health Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Smoking cessation counseling practices may differ between physicians who smoke and those who have quit or never smoked.

Method

Of 917 general practitioners (GP) in Montreal mailed self-report questionnaires in 2000 and 2004, 610 provided data on their smoking status and counseling practices.

Results

Seven percent were current smokers, 32% were former smokers, and 61% were never-smokers. Current smokers were more interested than never- or former smokers in learning about counseling methods (64%, 56%, 45%, respectively; p=0.018). In multivariable analyses, current smokers were less likely than never-smokers to ascertain the smoking status of their patients (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.2–1.6); to provide advice on how to quit (OR 0.6, 0.3–1.3); and to provide complete cessation counseling coverage (OR 0.5, 0.2–1.1). Former smokers were more likely to provide adjunct support (OR 1.5, 1.0–2.4).

Conclusion

GP smoking status was associated with the content of their cessation interventions with patients who smoke. Taking physician smoking status into consideration in the design of cessation training programs may improve cessation counseling interventions.

Résumé

Objectif

Déceler les différences éventuelles dans les pratiques de counseling en abandon du tabac des médecins qui fument et de ceux qui ont arrêté ou qui n’ont jamais fumé.

Méthode

Sur 917 omnipraticiens de Montréal à qui nous avons posté des questionnaires d’auto-évaluation en 2000 et en 2004, 610 ont fourni des données sur leur usage du tabac et leurs pratiques de counseling.

Résultats

Sept p. cent des répondants étaient des fumeurs actuels, 32 % étaient d’anciens fumeurs et 61 % n’avaient jamais fumé. Les fumeurs actuels étaient plus intéressés par l’apprentissage des méthodes de counseling que les répondants n’ayant jamais fumé ou ayant cessé de fumer (64 %, 56 % et 45 %, respectivement; p=0,018). Selon une analyse multivariée, les fumeurs actuels étaient moins susceptibles que les répondants n’ayant jamais fumé de vérifier si leurs patients fumaient ou non (RC = 0,6, IC de 95 % = 0,2–1,6); de donner des conseils sur l’arrêt du tabac (RC = 0,6, 0,3–1,3); et de proposer des services complets de counseling en abandon du tabac (RC = 0,5, 0,2–1,1). Les anciens fumeurs étaient plus susceptibles de proposer des services complémentaires (RC = 1,5, 1,0–2,4).

Conclusion

L’usage du tabac par les omnipraticiens était associé à la nature de leurs interventions auprès des patients fumeurs. En tenant compte du tabagisme des médecins dans la conception des programmes de formation en abandon du tabac, il serait possible d’améliorer les interventions de counseling.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Fiore MC, Jaén CR, Baker TB, Bailey WC, Benowitz NL, Curry SJ, et al. Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence: 2008 Update, Clinical Practice Guideline. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Public Health Service. May 2008. Available at: https://doi.org/www.ahrq.gov/path/tobacco.htm#Clinic (Accessed January 6, 2010).

    Google Scholar 

  2. World Health Organization: WHO Tobacco Free Initiative: The Role of Health Professionals in Tobacco Control. Geneva, Switzerland: WHO, 2005.

  3. Smoking-Cessation Advice from Health-Care Providers — Canada, 2005. MMWR 2007;56(28):708-12. Available at: https://doi.org/www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5628a3.htm (Accessed January 6, 2010).

  4. Squier C, Hesli V, Lowe J, Ponamorenko V, Medvedovskaya N. Tobacco use, cessation advice to patients and attitudes to tobacco control among physicians in Ukraine. Eur J Cancer Prev 2006;15(5):458–63.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Barengo NC, Sandstrom HP, Jormanainen VJ, Myllykangas MT. Attitudes and behaviors in smoking cessation among general practitioners in Finland 2001. Soz Praventivmedn 2005;50(6):355–60.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Tremblay M, Gervais A, Lacroix C, O’Loughlin J, Makni H, Paradis G. Physicians taking action against smoking: An intervention program to optimize smoking cessation counseling by Montreal general practitioners. CMAJ 2001;165(5):601–7.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  7. Goldstein MG, DePue JD, Monroe AD, Lessne CW, Rakowski W, Prokhorov A, et al. A population-based survey of physician smoking cessation counseling practices. Prev Med 1998;27(5 Pt 1):720–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. O’Loughlin J, Makni H, Tremblay M, Lacroix C, Gervais A, Dery V, et al. Smoking cessation counseling practices of general practitioners in Montreal. Prev Med 2001;33(6):627–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Vogt F, Hall S, Marteau TM. General practitioners’ and family physicians’ negative beliefs and attitudes towards discussing smoking cessation with patients: A systematic review. Addiction 2005;100(10):1423–31.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Vogt F, Hall S, Marteau TM. General practitioners’ beliefs about effectiveness and intentions to recommend smoking cessation services: Qualitative and quantitative studies. BMC Family Practice 2007;8:39–50.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Meredith LS, Yano EM, Hickey SC, Sherman SE. Primary care provider attitudes are associated with smoking cessation counseling and referral. Medical Care 2005;43:929–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Josseran L, King G, Guilbert P, Davis J, Brucker G. Smoking by French general practitioners: Behaviour, attitudes and practice. Eur J Public Health 2005;15(1):33–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Coleman T, Murphy E, Cheater F. Factors influencing discussion of smoking between general practitioners and patients who smoke: A qualitative study. Br J Gen Pract 2000;50(452):207–10.

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  14. Pollak KI, Arredondo EM, Yarnall KS, Lipkus I, Myers E, McNeilly M, Costanzo P. How do residents prioritize smoking cessation for young “high-risk” women? Factors associated with addressing smoking cessation. Prev Med 2001;33(4):292–99.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Cornuz J, Humair JP, Seematter L, Stoianov R, van Melle G, Stalder H, Pecoud A. Efficacy of resident training in smoking cessation: A randomized, controlled trial of a program based on application of behavioral theory and practice with standardized patients. Ann Intern Med 2002;136(6):429–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Malarcher A, Easton A, Husten C, Frank E. Smoking cessation counselling: Training and practice among women pediatricians. Clinical Pediatrics 2002;41(5):341–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Kawakami M, Nakamura S, Fumimoto H, Takizawa J, Baba M. Relationship between smoking status of physicians and their enthusiasm to offer smoking cessation advice. Intern Med 1997;36(3):162–65.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Ohida T, Sakurai H, Mochizuki Y, Kamal AM, Takemura S, Minowa M, Kawahara K. Smoking prevalence and attitudes towards smoking among Japanese physicians. JAMA 2001;285(20):2643–48.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Underner M, Ingrand R, Allouch A, Laforgue AV, Migeot V, Defossez G, Meurice JCl. Influence of smoking among family physicians on their practice of giving minimal smoking cessation advice. Rev Mal Respir 2006;23(5 Pt 1):426–29.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Pizzo AM, Chellini E, Grazzini G, Cardone A, Badellino F. Italian general practitioners and smoking cessation strategies. Tumori 2003;89(3):250–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Nardini S, Bertoletti R, Rastelli V, Donner CF. The influence of personal tobacco smoking on the clinical practice of Italian chest physicians. Eur Respir J 1998;12(6):1450–53.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Kawahara K, Ohida T, Osaki Y, Mochizuki Y, Minowa M, Yamaguchi N, Kusaka Y. Study of the smoking behavior of medical doctors in Fukui, Japan and their antismoking measures. J Epidemiol 2000;10(3):157–62.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Pärna K, Rahu K, Barengo NC, Rahu M, Sandström PH, Jormanainen VJ, Myllykangas MT. Comparison of knowledge, attitudes and behaviour regarding smoking among Estonian and Finnish physicians. Soz Praventivmed 2005;50(6):378–88.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Pipe A, Sorensen A, Reid R. Physician smoking status, attitudes towards smoking, and cessation advice to patients: An international survey. Patient Educ Couns 2009;74(1):118–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Smith DR, Leggat PA. An international review of tobacco smoking in the medical profession: 1974–2004. BMC Public Health 2007;7:115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Kapur A. Smoking among Physicians in Canada. Presentation at the 6th National Conference on Tobacco or Health — Montreal, Quebec, November 3, 2009.

    Google Scholar 

  27. Sloan JF, Aaronson N, Cappelleri JC, Fairclough DL, Varricchio C, and the Clinical Significance Consensus Meeting Group. Assessing the clinical significance of single items relative to summated scores. Mayo Clinic Proc 2002;77(5):479–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Gardner DG, Cummings LL. Single-item versus multiple-item measurement scales: An empirical comparison. Educ Psycholog Measurement 1998;58(6):898–915.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Agence de la santé et des services sociaux de Montréal, Direction de santé publique, Montréal, QC, 1301, rue Sherbrooke Est, H2L 1M3, Canada

    Garbis A. Meshefedjian MPH, PhD, André Gervais MD & Diane Villeneuve MD

  2. Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    André Gervais MD

  3. Institut national de santé publique du Québec, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Michèle Tremblay MD

  4. Centre de recherche CHUM, Montréal, QC, Canada

    Jennifer O’Loughlin PhD

  5. Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Jennifer O’Loughlin PhD

Authors
  1. Garbis A. Meshefedjian MPH, PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. André Gervais MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Michèle Tremblay MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Diane Villeneuve MD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jennifer O’Loughlin PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Garbis A. Meshefedjian MPH, PhD.

Additional information

Conflict of Interest: None to declare.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Meshefedjian, G.A., Gervais, A., Tremblay, M. et al. Physician Smoking Status May Influence Cessation Counseling Practices. Can J Public Health 101, 290–293 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405288

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03405288

Key words

Mots clés

Search

Navigation