title: Smoking cessation counseling by pediatricians in an inner-city setting.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess mothers' perceptions of pediatrician-provided smoking cessation counseling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, descriptive study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Waiting rooms of five ambulatory pediatric clinics in the Bronx, NY.
  
  
  METHODS
  Convenience sample of 115 mothers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A structured questionnaire assessed the smoking history of the subject, presence or absence of environmental tobacco smoke(ETS)-related conditions in the subject's youngest child, and extent of smoking cessation counseling by the pediatrician. Subjects were asked whether they had been 1) asked about smoking; 2) advised about the risks of ETS exposure; 3) assisted in smoking cessation; and 4) arranged for a follow-up appointment to discuss smoking cessation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 73% of mothers reported being asked about smoking by their child's pediatrician, and 50% reported being advised about the effects of ETS exposure. Of the 26 smokers in the sample, only two reported being assisted in smoking cessation. None reported being arranged for a follow-up appointment. Mothers of children with ETS-related conditions reported a higher rate of assessment for smoking status (ask: 85% vs. 63%, p =.01; advise: 57% vs. 43%, p =.19).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mothers in our setting report a high level of inquiry into their tobacco use, especially when they have children with ETS-related conditions. While they also report receiving advice about the risks of ETS exposure, smokers are very infrequently assisted in smoking cessation.
authors.affiliation: Albert Einstein College of Medicine/Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY 10467, USA.
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sharif
authors.forename: Tosan
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Oruwariye
authors.forename: Genna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Waldman
authors.forename: Philip O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Ozuah
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009035:Mothers; D010372:Pediatrics; D010465:Perception; D010819:Physician's Role; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D014505:Urban Population