Qualitative study investigating the process of giving anti-smoking advice in general practice.
General practitioners' (GPs') anti-smoking advice promotes patients' smoking cessation but little is known about how GPs use their short consultations to give advice. We used semi-structured interviews with 27 UK GPs to investigate how GPs believe they should advise smokers to stop and the reasons underpinning these beliefs. GPs reported a limited repertoire of techniques for dealing with smokers who were not motivated to stop. They also reported using confrontational advice-giving styles with patients who continued to smoke despite suffering from smoking-related illnesses. GPs might find it easier and more rewarding to discuss smoking with patients if they possessed a greater range of skills for dealing with non-motivated smokers.
Coleman
Tim
T
School of Community Health Sciences, Division of General Practice, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK. tim.coleman@nottingham.ac.uk
Cheater
Francine
F
Murphy
Elizabeth
E
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D009042:Motivation; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010819:Physician's Role; D010821:Physicians, Family / Q000193:education / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014743:Videotape Recording