Smokers miss out on advice on how to quit
Two out of three smokers are not being told by their doctor about the range of methods available to help them stop, warns a survey which highlights the need for improved provision of information on smoking cessation.
The survey of 3,760 adult smokers (aged 25 years and over) from 15 countries,
including the UK, found that only 33 per cent said their doctor had explained
the various methods of quitting smoking. In contrast, 66 per cent of
nearly 3,000 doctors taking part in a related survey claimed that they
had given their patients who smoke information about cessation methods.
Hayden McRobbie, research fellow at the clinical trials research unit
at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and programme director of
the UK National Smoking Cessation Conference, said that advice from a
health care professional, even when brief, is known to increase the success
of smokers wanting to quit. Despite this, the surveys showed a major
gap, with 41 per cent of doctors saying they discuss smoking with their
patients at every visit, compared with only 9 per cent of smokers reporting
that this happened.
These surveys show the need for improved communication between smokers
and health professionals, suggested Dr McRobbie. “Although smokers
know that quitting smoking is the single biggest step to improving their
health, the results show that patients often do not believe they are
receiving the support and advice from their doctor that is vital to successfully
quit smoking.” He argued that smoking should be managed as a chronic,
relapsing medical condition that involves physical and psychological
addiction to nicotine.
“Pharmacists are in an ideal position to talk to people about smoking
cessation, including the range of methods available to help them quit,” he
added.
The survey results were presented at the American
College of Cardiology 56th Annual Scientific Session held in New Orleans, Louisiana, earlier
this week.
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
Acrobat
Reader