Open AccessImproving smoking cessation advice in Australian general practice: what do GPs suggest is needed?
Author(s) -
Young Jane M.,
Ward Jeanette E.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.946
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1753-6405
pISSN - 1326-0200
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-842x.1998.tb01492.x
Subject(s) - smoking cessation , medicine , nicotine replacement therapy , family medicine , psychological intervention , nursing , pathology
Smoking cessation advice from a general practitioner (GP) significantly increases quit rates among patients who smoke. However, smoking is not discussed during most routine consultations with smokers. This study describes GPs' own views about strategies to support their cessation advice. In 1997, a random sample of 311 GPs in NSW (73% response rate) completed a self‐administered questionnaire about smoking cessation. Most respondents were ‘very confident’ about discussing the health effects of smoking (81.7%). Fewer were as confident about negotiating a quit date (21.5%) or using evidence‐based smoking cessation techniques (19.3%). The top three preferred strategies to support smoking cessation advice were all resources for patients: subsidised nicotine replacement therapy (rated as ‘quite useful’ by 60.5%), pamphlets (55.0%) and free access to smoking cessation clinics (50.8%). Skills training (39.7%) was the preferred resource to improve practitioner effectiveness. Interventions combining skills training with patient resources are likely to be well received by GPs.