Smoking prevalence, attitudes, and perceived smoking prevention and control responsibilities and behaviors among physicians in Jordan
Author: Merrill RM, Madanat H, Layton JB, Hanson CL, Madsen CC
Source:
Int Q Community Health Educ. 2006-2007;26(4):397-413
This study identifies smoking prevalence among physicians in Jordan. It also
assesses their attitudes, perceived smoking prevention, and control
responsibilities and behaviors. A cross-sectional survey was administered to 251
physicians from public and private hospitals in Jordan. The response rate was
67%. The prevalence of smoking is 22.4% for male and 9.1% for female physicians.
Among current or former smokers, 81.1% (n = 73), 29.1% overall, had smoked in
front of a patient. The physicians believed that physician counseling could more
effectively prevent patients from smoking than influencing patients to quit
smoking. Approximately 56.2% of physicians had ever counseled patients about
smoking and 34.3% regularly counseled patients about smoking. Only 18.3% (n = 46)
had received training, either in medical school or thereafter, on counseling
patients about smoking. Physicians with training on counseling patients about
smoking cessation were significantly more likely to have counseled or to
routinely counsel patients to help them quit or not start smoking. Training also
lowered the percentage of smokers who smoked in front of patients