Attitudes and smoking habits of physicians at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.

The attitudes and smoking habits of 333 doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital were studied. Sixty eight percent were nonsmokers, while 24 percent were currently smoking, and 8 percent were ex-smokers. Surgeons (26 percent) and obstetricians and gynecologists (24 percent) accounted for most of the current smokers.The majority of doctors in Lagos were well informed on the health risks of smoking, but an insufficient number of them are currently giving advice on smoking cessation to their patients. There is a need to further educate doctors in Lagos on the important role physicians can play in smoking-cessation efforts.