Evaluation of the behaviors of physicians working in primary health care institutions about smoking cessation counseling and second hand smoke: Elazig sample

ABSTRACT EVALUATION OF THE BEHAVIORS OF PHYSICIANS WORKING IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE INSTITUTIONS ABOUT SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING AND SECOND HAND SMOKE: ELAZIG SAMPLE The tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats facing the world. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the behaviors of physicians working in primary health care institutions in Elazığ province about smoking cessation counseling (SCC) and second hand smoke. The population of this cross-sectional study consisted of 262 physicians working in primary health care institutions in Elazığ. It was aimed to reach the entire population without using the sample selection method and 95.42% (250 people) of the population was reached. For data collection, a questionnaire including questions about "Demographic and Occupational Characteristics-Smoking Status", "Smoking Cessation Counseling" and "Second Hand Smoke" was used. Obtained data were evaluated with frequency, percentage, Mean ± Standard deviation, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney U test and binary logistic regression analysis. The mean age of the physicians was 40.86 ± 10.58 years and 68.0% of them were male. 30.4% of the physicians were current, 17.6% were former, and 52.0% were never smoker. Physicians' frequency of "often-always" implementation of the steps of the SCC 5A strategy were as follows: 38.8% "Ask", 81.6% "Advise", 68.4% "Assess", 66.8% "Assist", % 31.2 "Arrange". 16.0% of the physicians received SCC training. 13.2% of the physicians asked patients about second-hand smoke exposure "often-always", 34.8% of them suggested that patients should be protected from second-hand smoke exposure "often-always". Those with SCC training Ask (p<0.05), Assist (p<0.05) and Arrange (<0.001), those who believe that physician advice will increase the patient's probability of quitting smoking Advise (<0.001), Assist (p<0, 05) and Arrange (p<0.01) steps were applied statistically significantly more frequently. As a result; it is seen that the frequency of SCC implementation of primary care physicians in Elazığ province was far behind the target. In order to increase the frequency of SCC implementation, there is a need to increase the number of physicians receiving SCC training and to strengthen the positive beliefs of physicians about SCC with these trainings. Keywords: Smoking cessation, second hand smoke, primary health care, physician, preventive health care