Computerized assessment of surgical patients for tobacco use: accuracy and acceptability.
BACKGROUND
Despite increased risks of postoperative complications among patients who use tobacco, a number of barriers hinder the systematic identification of surgical patients who smoke. The study investigated the accuracy and acceptability of a patient-completed touchscreen computer program, which assessed patient smoking status during attendance at a surgical pre-operative clinic.


METHODS
One thousand and four patients participated in the study and completed a touchscreen computer smoking assessment program.


RESULTS
The sensitivity and specificity measures of the computerized assessment were 93% and 95% respectively. Patients, and clinic receptionists, nurses and anaesthetists found the touchscreen computer-based assessment acceptable.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that computerized assessment of smoking status is an accurate and acceptable way to identify tobacco users in a pre-operative clinic setting.
Wolfenden
Luke
L
Hunter New-England Population Health, Hunter New-England Area Health Service, Locked Bag 10, Wallsend 2298, NSW, Australia. luke.wolfenden@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Dalton
Angela
A
Bowman
Jenny
J
Knight
Jenny
J
Burrows
Sally
S
Wiggers
John
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014584:User-Computer Interface