1.Self-reported practice of smoking cessation intervention (SCI) among primary care doctors at public health clinics in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Rahmah Kamaludin ; Zuhra Hamzah ; Hizlinda Tohid ; Noor Azimah Muhammad
The Medical Journal of Malaysia 2020;75(1):1-6
Background: Primary care doctors are responsible to
provide smoking cessation intervention (SCI) to smokers in
a community. This study aimed to assess the SCI practice
among primary care doctors themselves and its associated
factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from
July to October 2016. All the 140 doctors in 12 public primary
care clinics in Kuala Lumpur were invited to participate in
this study. However, only 122 doctors (females, 82.8%)
completed the self-administered questionnaire that
assessed their demography, clinical experience, SCI
practice and its barriers, self-efficacy in delivering and
knowledge on smoking and SCI.
Results: Only 42.6% of the doctors had good SCI practice.
Almost all doctors assessed the smoking status of their
patients (98.4%) and advised them to quit (98.4%). However,
lesser proportions of the doctors followed up the practice of
patients (50.0%), taught smokers on various methods of quit
smoking (46.70%) and discussed about the barriers and
resources to quit prior to the quit date (27.9%). Less than
one-fourth of the doctors were confident in providing SCI.
Although 69.7% had previous training in SCI, many felt they
had inadequate knowledge (56.6%) and skills (47.5%). Only
11.5% of doctors thought their previous training was
enough. Having higher level of knowledge on smoking and
SCI was significantly associated with good SCI practice
[adjusted Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Intervals): 1.21 (1.02,
1.43), p=0.026].
Conclusion: The SCI practiced by the primary care doctors
in this study was sub-standard, particularly in assisting
smokers to quit and arranging follow up. Low self-efficacy in
providing SCI was also common. These inadequacies may
be due to poor knowledge and skills, which needs to be
improved through effective clinical training.