Smoking among ethnic Chinese patients and their recall of quit advice by Chinese–speaking general practitioners in Sydney

Objectives : To collect smoking–related data from Chinese patients attending Chinese–speaking general practitioners (CSGPs), including self–reported smoking status, recall of a question about smoking status during the previous six months by their GP and, for smokers, their recall of quit advice in their most recent consultation. Design : Descriptive research first involving self–administered waiting–room questionnaires and, afterwards, a second self–administered questionnaire to examine behaviour in that most recent consultation. Setting : Surgeries of 24 CSGPs in Central Sydney Subjects : 1084 Chinese patients aged 18–70 years Results : Self–reported smoking prevalence was 25% (95% CI: 21%–29%) for men and 4% (95% CI: 2%–5%) for women. Of 103 smokers who had visited their regular GP during the previous 6 months, 42% recalled a question about smoking status and 38% quit advice. As elicited at follow–up, 72% recalled any discussion in their most recent consultation about smoking although effective techniques were rarely recalled. Patient's sex (OR: 1.78; 95% CI: 1.28–2.47) and smoking status (OR: 1.39; 2.38; 95% CI: 0.85–2.25,1.49–3.81) independently predicted a question about smoking status. Among smokers, marital status was the only independent predictor of quit advice. As assessed by a stage–of–change scale, significantly more Chinese smokers were not ready to contemplate cessation, compared with Anglo–Celtic community survey results. Conclusions : Our study provides unique information about smoking among ethnic Chinese patients attending CSGPs. Findings also suggest CSGPs need greater support to maximize their clinical opportunities to advise Chinese smokers to quit.