The Role of Health Care Professionals in Providing Smoking CessationAdvice in Najran Armed Forces Hospital, KSA

摘要

Background: Smoking is an established risk factor for many diseases and is one of the most important publichealth problems worldwide. According to the WHO, medical and paramedical staff can influence positively or negativelythe smoking habits of a community.Objective: To explore the predictors of providing smoking cessation advice by medical and paramedical staff.Methods: We have conducted a cross-sectional study from April, 2014 through May, 2014 in Najran Armed ForcesHospital. Data collection was done using an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire.Results: The study included 128 health care professionals. The mean age and standard deviation of the study group was33.8 ± 8.10 years. The overall prevalence of tobacco use among medical and para-medical staff amounted to 21.1%. Theprevalence among male health care providers amounted to 37.5% compared to 9.4% among females. The highestprevalence of tobacco use was among physicians (33.3%) followed by technicians (24.2%) and nurses (11.3%). More than16% of the medical and paramedical staff didn't at all ask patients about their smoking status and only 40 % of them dothat from time to time. Nurses were found to be significant predictors in providing smoking cessation advice to patientscompared to physicians (aOR = 5.21, 95% CI: 1.1–25.1).Conclusion: The prevalence rate of smoking habit is still higher among persons who understand the related problems ofsmoking. Nurses are more active than doctors in providing tobacco cessation advice to their patients.