Smoking cessation practices of Dutch general practitioners, cardiologists, and lung physicians.
OBJECTIVE
To assess and compare the smoking cessation practices and smoking behavior of Dutch general practitioners (GPs), cardiologists, and lung physicians.


METHODS
We conducted questionnaire surveys among a random sample of 2000 Dutch GPs, all Dutch cardiologists (N=594), and all Dutch lung physicians (N=375).


RESULTS
In total, 834 GPs (41.7%), 300 cardiologists (50.5%), and 258 lung physicians (68.8%) filled out and returned the questionnaire. The prevalence of current smokers was 8.2% among GPs, 4.3% among cardiologists, and 3.5% among lung physicians. Of the pharmacological aids for smoking cessation, physicians recommended bupropion most frequently, followed by nicotine patches and nicotine gum. More lung physicians recommended the use of these three aids (67.0%, 36.3% and 18.2%, respectively) than GPs (65.7%, 18.7% and 9.8%, respectively), and than cardiologists (31.6%, 19.7% and 13.2%, respectively). A higher proportion of lung physicians (69.3%) had referred at least one smoker to a nurse for smoking cessation treatment than cardiologists (25%), and than GPs (11.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on this national survey, one may conclude that the prevalence of current smoking among Dutch physicians is relatively low and has further decreased since 1988. Dutch GPs, cardiologists, and lung physicians mainly use interventions for smoking cessation that are easy to administer and are not very time consuming. Furthermore, more lung physicians than GPs and cardiologists recommend the use of bupropion, nicotine patch, and nicotine gum. When designing interventions for smoking cessation, one should take into account that physicians are often reluctant to provide interventions which demand much time. Therefore, intensive counseling of smokers who want to quit smoking may be more feasible for trained non-physicians, such as nurses.
Kotz
Daniel
D
Department of General Practice, Care and Public Health Research Institute, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands. d.kotz@hag.unimaas.nl
Wagena
Edwin J
EJ
Wesseling
Geertjan
G
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016642:Bupropion / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002309:Cardiology; D005194:Family Practice / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009538:Nicotine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010819:Physician's Role; D015995:Prevalence; D015272:Pulmonary Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D016642:Bupropion; D009538:Nicotine