Disparity of physicians' utilization of tobacco treatment services.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the familiarity with and utilization of tobacco treatment resources among physicians.


METHODS
The NJ State Physician Census was mailed to 30,639 physicians with 8150 responding (26.6%). Data from 4598 direct patient-care physicians were analyzed.


RESULTS
Pulmonologists, cardiologists, and family physicians had the highest levels of familiarity and referral, whereas psychiatrists, neurologists, ophthalmologists, and surgeons had the lowest. Physicians who were younger, female, who had more teaching hours, and who accepted fewer new patients all had higher familiarity.


CONCLUSIONS
Familiarity with tobacco dependence treatment resources varies by physician characteristics. Increasing physicians' utilization of these resources is an important research priority.
Steinberg
Michael B
MB
University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey School of Public Health (UMDNJ-SPH), Tobacco Dependence Program, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. michael.steinberg@umdnj.edu
Alvarez
Michelle S
MS
Delnevo
Cristine D
CD
Kaufman
Ira
I
Cantor
Joel C
JC
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008511:Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009515:New Jersey / Q000453:epidemiology; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013038:Specialization; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires