Evaluation of smoking status and the impact on attitudes and behaviors regarding smoking cessation counseling among physicians working at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Hospital

Introduction and Aim: Tobacco use is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths worldwide. In our country, physicians are advised to implement a brief clinical smoking cessation intervention for every patient who consults them. This study aims to evaluate the smoking status of physicians working at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Hospital and its impact on their attitudes and behaviors regarding smoking cessation counseling. Materials and Methods: A total of 279 physicians working at Aydın Adnan Menderes University Hospital participated in this cross-sectional analytical study, which was conducted between August 1, 2023, and October 31, 2023. A data collection form, which included questions on sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes and behaviors regarding smoking cessation counseling, was administered to the participants face-to-face. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS program. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare numerical variables that did not conform to a normal distribution, and the Chi-Square test was used for comparisons between groups of categorical variables. Logistic regression analysis was applied to eliminate the confounding effects of independent variables. Results: The mean age of the participants was 31.40±6.83 (range: 25-63 years), with 56.6% (n=158) being female and 57.7% (n=161) being single. 38% (n=106) of the participants were smokers. Working in internal medicine was associated with a 4.319-fold increase in attempting to change patients' smoking cessation motivations (p=0.001). Non-smoking physicians among the participants were more likely to recommend quitting smoking to their patients (p=0.020), offer more assistance (p=0.006), and provide more counseling services (p=0.009) compared to smokers. Physicians' perceived competence and sense of responsibility significantly influenced all aspects of their behavior towards patients' smoking status (p<0.05). Conclusion: Physicians participating in the study smoke more than the general population. The training they receive regarding combating smoking addiction appears to be inadequate. The perception of being competent in the expected behavior and considering it as a physician's responsibility are the main determinants of physicians' engagement in brief smoking cessation interventions. Increasing physicians' awareness of their responsibilities in combating smoking, as well as developing new approaches to ensure that positive attitudes towards this issue translate into behavior, is important. Keywords: Counseling, smoking among physicians, smoking cessation, attitude.