title: [Italian cardiologists and tobacco smoking. A survey on the prevalence and knowledge of smoking and strategies for smoking cessation in a cohort of Italian cardiologists].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tobacco use is the single most preventable cause of death. Its cessation is the most cost-effective strategy for reducing long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Although both healthcare professionals and the general population are aware of the detrimental effects of smoking on health, more than 25% of Italians are current smokers. Recent surveys showed that almost 50% of smoker patients relapse to smoke after having been discharged for acute coronary syndrome. Physicians who smoke may be a barrier for effective cessation interventions. Thus, it is important to assess cardiologists' attitude toward smoking habits and the implementation of smoking cessation programs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The survey "Italian cardiologists and smoking habits" has been held in 2013 during the 44° National Congress of the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO) to assess cardiologists' smoking status, their level of knowledge about smoking cessation interventions and their involvement in the management of smoking cessation. Out of more than 1200 cardiologists attending the ANMCO congress, 610 subjects (aged 51 ± 11 years) answered an anonymous 35-item questionnaire; they were asked to declare their smoking status (9.5% current smokers).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among doctors who attended the survey, 58% correctly indicated smoking as an addiction and 45% regularly advised their patients to stop smoking. The majority of cardiologists (93%) reported a positive attitude toward smoking cessation strategies, 62% of them thought that cardiologists themselves should treat smoking dependence, though specific tools (70%) and education for the management of smoking cessation are lacking (66%). Two thirds of the entire sample of ANMCO cardiologists declared their willingness to participate in specialized educational programs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  More than a half of Italian cardiologists are aware that smoking is an addiction. Although they feel themselves yet inadequate toward this approach, they are favorable to implement their own knowledge and skills toward smoking cessation.
authors.affiliation: U.O. Cardiologia Riabilitativa, Ospedale di Passirana, A.O. G. Salvini, Garbagnate Milanese (MI).
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frisinghelli
authors.affiliation: U.O. Cardiologia-UTIC, Ospedale San Gerardo, Monza (MB).
authors.forename: Francesca
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cesana
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. Cardiologia Riabilitativa, Ospedale La Colletta, Arenzano (GE).
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clavario
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. Cardiologia III, A.O. San Giovanni-Addolorata, Roma.
authors.forename: Gian Francesco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Mureddu
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Cardiologia Riabilitativa, Fondazione Salvatore Maugeri, IRCCS, Istituto Scientifico di Veruno, Veruno (NO).
authors.forename: Pier Luigi
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Temporelli
authors.affiliation: Centro Cardiovascolare, Azienda per l'Assistenza Sanitaria n. 1 e Università degli Studi, Trieste.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cherubini
authors.affiliation: U.O.C. Cardiologia, Ospedale San Filippo Neri, Roma.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mocini
authors.affiliation: Hippocrates Sintech, Genova.
authors.forename: Pino
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Università degli Studi, AOU Careggi, Firenze.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fattirolli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010820:Physicians / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires