A survey of the prevalence of smoking and smoking cessation advice received by inpatients in a large teaching hospital in Ireland.
BACKGROUND
The adverse effects of smoking are well documented and it is crucial that this modifiable risk factor is addressed routinely. Professional advice can be effective at reducing smoking amongst patients, yet it is not clear if all hospital in-patient smokers receive advice to quit.


OBJECTIVE
To explore smoking prevalence amongst hospital in-patients and smoking cessation advice given by health professionals in a large university teaching hospital.


METHODS
Interviews were carried out over 2 weeks in February 2011 with all eligible in-patients in Beaumont Hospital.


RESULTS
Of the 205 patients who completed the survey, 61% stated they had been asked about smoking by a healthcare professional in the past year. Only 44% of current/recent smokers stated they had received smoking cessation advice from a health professional within the same timeframe.


CONCLUSIONS
Interventions to increase rates of healthcare professional-provided smoking cessation advice are urgently needed.
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin 2, Ireland.
C
C
Bartels
A R Y
AR
Abuhaliga
H
H
McGee
K
K
Morgan
N G
NG
McElvaney
F
F
Doyle
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D037001:Directive Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*