Attitudes of Turkish physicians towards cigarette smoking
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Date
1999
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Abstract
The aim of this study is to investigate the smoking habits of the physicians working in Manisa province and their attitudes towards patients who smoke. A three-part questionnaire was given to 305 of 447 physicians (68.2%). Part 1 investigated the smoking habits of the physicians; part 2 asked about their attitudes towards patients who smoke; and part 3 assessed their knowledge of smoking cessation techniques. Of the physicians 30.2% (n = 92) were female and 69.8% (n = 213) were male, and 41.3% of the total were smokers (37.0% of these were female and 43.2% were male). Almost two thirds of the physicians (64.2%) always or frequently asked questions about the smoking habits of their patients; 60.6% offered suggestions to their patients about quitting smoking, but only 23.9% gave information about smoking cessation techniques, and 18.9% gave information about withdrawal symptoms. The results of this study showed that the physicians working in Manisa province had similar smoking rates compared with those of the general population. They were interested in their patients' smoking habits, but they did not have enough information about smoking cessation programmes.