Trend in smoking prevalence and providing brief interventions in employees of the Královské Vinohrady Teaching Hospital and Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University
Abstract
Aim: The aim of this paper is to assess the trend in smoking prevalence in health professionals - employees of the Královské Vinohrady Teaching Hospital and Third Faculty of Medicine of Charles University and providing brief interventions related to smoking in patients during the process of engagement into the Global Network for Tobacco-Free Healthcare Services. Methods: The results of two surveys conducted during preventive examinations at the Clinic of Occupational and Travel Medicine between May 2014 and May 2015 and January and December 2016 were compared.
The adjusted questionnaire designed by the Society for Tobacco Dependence Treatment was administered in 875 employees with 72 % response rate in the 1st survey and in 1394 employees with 42% response rate in the 2nd survey. The anonymous questionnaire was designed to obtain information on smoking status, cessation attempts and providing brief interventions related to smoking in patients.
Results: 8.5% of physicians and 33.7% of nurses in the first survey and 14% of physicians and 28% of nurses in the second survey reported that they are regular smokers (at least 1 cigarette a day). 65.3% of regular smokers in the first survey and 62.2% in the second survey reported they had already attempted to quit smoking. More than a half of health professionals in the first survey (58.6% physicians and 52.7% nurses) and around half of health professionals in the second survey (46,4% physicians and 53.2% nurses) reported that they ask their patients about smoking. 47.3% of physicians and 50.5% of nurses in the first survey and 45.1% of physicians and 57% of nurses in the second survey reported that they assess patient's readiness to quit smoking.
However, only13 % of physicians and 20.6% of nurses in the first survey and 28% of physicians and 34.3% of nurses in the second survey referred their patients to the specialized centre for tobacco dependence treatment. Conclusion: Findings of our evaluation reflect the positive impact of educational activities focused on nurses in recent years (there was a lower proportion of regular smokers in nurses in the second survey).
Higher proportion of physicians and nurses who referred their patients to the Centre for Tobacco Dependence Treatment at the Clinic of Occupational and Travel Medicine in the Královské Vinohrady Teaching Hospital indicates higher awareness on this specialized service among the staff of the hospital. As only about half of health professionals provided brief interventions in both surveys, further education should motivate health professionals on early identification and further intervention and counselling in smokers in their medical practice.