Abstract
Perception of smoking cessation resources and practices- a cross-sectional study in Portugal.
Aim: To explore the perception of smoking cessation resources and clinical practices at a population level.
Methods: Cross-sectional study based on CATI telephone interviews. Adults were surveyed in households selected randomly by telephone and stratified by region in mainland Portugal.
Results: 1002 participants, mean age 46 ± 18 years, 52% females. Most (95%) reported the primary care practice as the setting to quit, followed by a private clinic or hospital, the community pharmacy (77%), and the public hospital (74%), p <0.001; 48% and 13%, p <0.001, were aware of the quit line and a web-based cessation programme; Among the healthcare professionals, GPs were indicated by 99%, followed by psychologists (87%), pharmacists (79%) and nurses (73%), p <0.001. Regarding cessation brief intervention, 79.9% were approached by physicians on tobacco consumption; 50.0% of smokers were advised to quit; 36.8% motivated to stop; 20.0% referred to a cessation program, p <0.001; 20.2% of smokers reported cessation support, of which 4.9% had been prescribed a cessation drug. Participants mentioned several policy measures to support cessation.
Conclusions: the Portuguese value community resources to support cessation, as well as an interdisciplinary clinical intervention. The most cost-effective and broad reach cessation resources are poorly known. Cessation brief intervention is perceived as inconsistent. There is a need for systematic and effective cessation support using community resources and those most cost-effective with the potential to provide broad reach and repeated contacts necessary to promote successful behaviour change.