[Knowledge, attitudes and practices of front-line physicians in smoking cessation assistance in Sfax, Tunisia, in 2020].

Connaissances, attitudes et pratiques des médecins de première ligne en matière d’aide au sevrage tabagique à Sfax (Tunisie), 2020.

Publisher: African Field Epidemiology Network Country of Publication: Uganda NLM ID: 101517926 Publication Model: eCollection Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1937-8688 (Electronic) NLM ISO Abbreviation: Pan Afr Med J Subsets: MEDLINE

Original Publication: Kampala, Uganda : African Field Epidemiology Network

Physicians* ; Smoking Cessation*; Adult ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Humans ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Tobacco Use Cessation Devices ; Tunisia

Introduction: first-line physicians should play a key role in tobacco control. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge and attitudes of front-line physicians as well as their practices for smoking cessation, assess their smoking status and determine the barriers to smoking cessation support.
Methods: we conducted a cross-sectional study among a representative sample of front-line physicians practising in the governorate of Sfax in November 2020.
Results: a total of 115 first-line physicians were included in the study, with a sex ratio (M/F) of 0.91 and an average age of 43 years (interquartile interval= [34-55 years]). Among the respondents, 26 (22.6%) stated that they were smokers; 98 of the physicians surveyed (85.2%) had not had any postgraduate training in smoking cessation. However, 71 (61.7%) had an idea on nicotine replacement therapy. Regarding attitudes,73 respondents (63.5%) were convinced that physicians were responsible for helping their patients quit smoking. Forty five physicians (39.1%) systematically asked all patients about their smoking habits. The least performed activities of the 5A strategy were the components "help" (14%) and "organize follow-up" (17.4%). Patients' disinterest was considered (53%) to be a significant barrier to smoking cessation assistance by the 61 physicians surveyed.
Conclusion: there is a need to evaluate and improve the implementation of the national tobacco control strategy, in particular with regard to the training of front-line physicians.
Competing Interests: Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d´intérêts.
(Copyright: Maroua Trigui et al.)

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Keywords: First-line physicians; smoking; smoking cessation

Date Created: 20220829 Date Completed: 20220830 Latest Revision: 20220830

20250114

PMC9379424

10.11604/pamj.2022.42.83.27738

36034000