[Anti-smoking specialist medical prescription or medical counseling in primary care: opinions from the other side of the table].
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the frequency, characteristics and follow-up of anti-smoking counseling given to patients using a primary care facility; to survey patient opinion of anti-smoking advice offered.


METHODS
Cross-sectional, descriptive study at a primary care facility.


METHODS
random sample of 330 patients between 15 and 75 years of age using the primary care facility in March and April 2000.


METHODS
confidential survey by self-administered questionnaire on smoking, chronic disease related to smoking, anti-smoking advice given and patient opinion of anti-smoking counseling by health care givers.


RESULTS
The prevalence of smoking was 31.9% (100). Among patients who were either smokers or ex-smokers (162), advice to stop smoking had been received from the primary care physician by 47 patients (29.2%), from a specialist by 19 (11.8%), from a nurse by 14 (8.7%), from a pharmacist by 5 (3.1%), and from family by 34 (21.1%). We found no statistically significant differences related to gender or age for advice to stop smoking, although the presence or absence of chronic disease did affect counseling. Fifty-four (65%) of those who had been advised to quit considered that the time spent counseling was adequate. Ten patients (12%) received an informative brochure in addition to counseling. Forty smokers (40%) stated that they would quit smoking if their doctor advised them to and 45 (45%) would do so if they had a smoking-related disease. Thirty-three smokers (33%) believed that they should receive advice about smoking at all visits to the doctor, whereas 38 (38%) believed such counseling was appropriate only if the visit was for a smoking-related disease.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of smoking among patients who use primary care facilities is high. The frequency of advice to quit smoking is low, and reminders and follow-up are minimal. After learning a patient's habits and studying them, professional anti-smoking advice should always be given, with appropriate monitoring and follow-up.
Rodríguez Ibáñez
M
M
Centro de Salud Irún Centro. Irún. kutturru@euskalnet.net
Pérez Trullén
A
A
Clemente Jiménez
M
M
Herrero Labarga
I
I
Rubio Arribas
V
V
Sampedro Martínez
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires