Doctors In Turkey Smoke More SAHIN EM, OZER C, DAGDEVIREN N, AKTURK Z Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Department of Family Practice

BACKGROUND Smoking is a major health problem in Turkey. The smoking prevalence is 43,6% ☞ smokers!

Medical practice of physicians may be affected by their life styles. Physicians who smoke may have difficulty in promoting healthy behavior among their patients.

METHODS Attitudes and behaviors of the doctors in Trakya University Hospital about smoking were EVALUATED a questionnaire.

 The questionnaire consisted of 29 items. Demographic parameters Assessing smoking habits Assessing nicotine dependency (Fagerström) Opinions about smoking cessation counseling

 The research was completed in May Descriptive Cross-sectional

 Of 400 doctors in the hospital 132 participated.  Questionnaires were delivered and collected by students.  The results were analyzed in computer.

RESULTS DEMOGPHIC PARAMETERS GENDER  72,5% male  27,5% female AGE  mean age 33,64  8,36 (min:24, max:64). MARITAL STATUS  63,8%married,  34,4 % single  1,4% divorced.

GENDER

AGE

MARITAL STATUS

ACADEMIC POSITION  12 professors(8,7%)  9 associate professors (6,5%)  24 assistant professors (17,4%)  10 specialists (7,2%)  83 residents (60,1%)

OCCUPATION

SMOKING HABITS N% Non-smokers5541,6 Ex-smokers1712,9 Smokers6045,5 TOTAL132100

SMOKING HABITS

SMOKING DANSITY

PREFERED TYPE OF CIGARETTES

WHEN THEY START SMOKING?

THE REASONS OF STARTING

STAGES of SMOKING CESSATION N% Precontemplation3140,8 Contemplation45,3 Preparation2532,8 Action67,9 Maintenance1013,2 TOTAL76100

SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING Smoking related diseases N% All8277,4 >70%98,5 30%-70%54,7 <30%54,7 None54,7 TOTAL106100

SMOKING CESSATION COUNSELING Diseases not related to smoking N% All3839,6 >70%1515,6 30%-70%1414,6 <30%1212,5 None1717,7 TOTAL96100

Physicians should give smoking cessation counseling in every visit.

Smoking cessation counseling is a responsibility for every physician.

I could manage smoking cessation counseling.

More physicians will provide smoking cessation counseling if they know there is an effective tool for guiding to quit.

In our hospital, there is a need for a special unit that provides smoking cessation counseling and treatment.

Do you ask all your patients their smoking behavior?

ANTI-SMOKING LEGISLATION “ Smoking is forbidden in closed public places”

What is the success rate of anti-smoking legislation in practice?

Do you smoke in practice?

CONCLUSIONS Smoking prevalence in our research was found high as similar to previous trials made in Turkey ☞ (45,5%) of the participants were smoking.

The smoking prevalence of doctors in our research was same with the population populationdoctors 43,6%45,5%

Smoking cessation counseling rate is not enough because our participants don’t know much about it. –“More physicians will provide smoking cessation counseling if they know there is an effective tool for guiding to quit“ (90% agreed)

There is a need for mobilizing tobacco control efforts. Our study reveals the smoking prevalence of doctors in different ages, sexes and specialties. It can be helpful in designing anti-tobacco efforts and assessing their efficacy. We believe anti-tobacco efforts sould start with education of physicians.

Take Home Messages Turkish doctors smoke more than their collegues in the world They are not motivated to quit smoking

Doctors In Turkey Smoke More SAHIN EM, OZER C, DAGDEVIREN N, AKTURK Z Trakya University Faculty of Medicine Department of Family Practice