title: The Stop Smoking Before Surgery Program: Impact on Awareness of Smoking-Related Perioperative Complications and Smoking Behavior in Northern Canadian Communities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the impact of a Stop Smoking Before Surgery (SSBS) program in a health authority where responsibility for surgical services is shared by health professionals in regional centers and outlying communities.
  
  
  METHODS
  A between-subjects, pre-post mixed method program evaluation was conducted. Elective surgery patients at 2 Northern Canadian hospitals were recruited and surveyed at 2 time points: pre-SSBS implementation (n = 150) and 1 year post-SSBS implementation (n = 90). In addition, semistructured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of participants (n = 18).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Participants who received information about stopping smoking before surgery post-SSBS implementation were more likely than expected to have reduced their smoking, χ(2)(1, 89) = 10.62, P = .001, and had a significantly higher Awareness of Smoking-Related Perioperative Complications score than those that were advised to quit smoking prior to SSBS implementation (U = 1288.0, P < .001). Being advised by a health care professional was the second strongest predictor of whether or not participants reduced their smoking before surgery post-SSBS implementation. However, there was no significant change in the number of participants who reported being advised to quit smoking before surgery between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Providing surgery-specific resources to increase awareness of and support for surgery-specific smoking cessation had limited success in this rural context. Additional strategies are needed to ensure that every surgical patient who smokes receives information about the benefits of quitting for surgery and is aware of available cessation resources.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia joan.bottorff@ubc.ca.
authors.forename: Joan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bottorff
authors.affiliation: Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Cherisse L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Seaton
authors.affiliation: Northern Health Authority, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Viney
authors.affiliation: Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stolp
authors.affiliation: Canadian Cancer Society, BC and Yukon Division, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krueckl
authors.affiliation: Institute for Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, University of British Columbia, Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Nikolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Holm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D059035:Perioperative Period / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*
keywords: mixed methods; prevention; primary care; rural health; smoking