BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions may be influenced by a variety of patient characteristics, including level of nicotine addiction and readiness to change. We conducted this study to examine the relationship between these characteristics and the frequency of physician-initiated smoking cessation interventions. METHODS: We identified smokers seen during office visits to 1 of 38 primary care physicians in rural Kansas. Trained students observed the frequency and nature of doctor-patient discussions related to tobacco. Telephone surveys were conducted with these patients 1 to 3 days after the office visit. RESULTS: We completed observations and telephone surveys on 259 smokers. Tobacco-related discussions occurred during 66% of doctor-patient encounters. Although discussions overall were unrelated to a patient's readiness to quit, specific assistance with smoking cessation was offered less often to precontemplators (15%) than to contemplators (31%) or those preparing to quit (37%) (P < 0.05). While bupropion was discussed with 23% of smokers, nicotine replacement therapy was discussed with 12% and was unrelated to markers of nicotine addiction. CONCLUSIONS: Current efforts to promote smoking cessation are only marginally related to patient characteristics. Doctors are missing many opportunities to effectively intervene with patients who are contemplating smoking cessation or preparing to quit.
BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions may be influenced by a variety of patient characteristics, including level of nicotine addiction and readiness to change. We conducted this study to examine the relationship between these characteristics and the frequency of physician-initiated smoking cessation interventions. METHODS: We identified smokers seen during office visits to 1 of 38 primary care physicians in rural Kansas. Trained students observed the frequency and nature of doctor-patient discussions related to tobacco. Telephone surveys were conducted with these patients 1 to 3 days after the office visit. RESULTS: We completed observations and telephone surveys on 259 smokers. Tobacco-related discussions occurred during 66% of doctor-patient encounters. Although discussions overall were unrelated to a patient's readiness to quit, specific assistance with smoking cessation was offered less often to precontemplators (15%) than to contemplators (31%) or those preparing to quit (37%) (P < 0.05). While bupropion was discussed with 23% of smokers, nicotine replacement therapy was discussed with 12% and was unrelated to markers of nicotine addiction. CONCLUSIONS: Current efforts to promote smoking cessation are only marginally related to patient characteristics. Doctors are missing many opportunities to effectively intervene with patients who are contemplating smoking cessation or preparing to quit.
Authors: Christie A Befort; K Allen Greiner; Sandra Hall; Kim M Pulvers; Nicole L Nollen; Andrea Charbonneau; Harsohena Kaur; Jasjit S Ahluwalia Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2006-10 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Paula A Cupertino; Kimber P Richter; Lisa Sanderson Cox; Niaman Nazir; Allen K Greiner; Jasjit S Ahluwalia; Edward F Ellerbeck Journal: Nicotine Tob Res Date: 2008-02 Impact factor: 4.244
Authors: Lisa Sanderson Cox; Ana-Paula Cupertino; Laura M Mussulman; Niaman Nazir; K Allen Greiner; Jonathan D Mahnken; Jasjit S Ahluwalia; Edward F Ellerbeck Journal: Prev Med Date: 2008-05-03 Impact factor: 4.018
Authors: K Allen Greiner; Wendi Born; Sandra Hall; Qingjiang Hou; Kim S Kimminau; Jasjit S Ahluwalia Journal: J Gen Intern Med Date: 2008-03-06 Impact factor: 5.128
Authors: Joan L Bottorff; Cherisse L Seaton; Nancy Viney; Sean Stolp; Sandra Krueckl; Nikolai Holm Journal: J Prim Care Community Health Date: 2015-09-18
Authors: Kathryn Hyndman; Roger E Thomas; H Rainer Schira; Jenifer Bradley; Kathryn Chachula; Steven K Patterson; Sharon M Compton Journal: Int J Environ Res Public Health Date: 2019-10-28 Impact factor: 3.390