Unsolicited GP Advice Against Smoking: To Give or Not to Give?

Abstract

This article discusses whether general practitioners (GPs) should give unsolicited antismoking advice to patients who smoke. Patient preferences and GP advice giving are discussed with particular reference to professional roles. It is suggested that giving unsolicited advice against smoking at nearly every encounter is a competitive rather than collaborative behavior. General practitioners should ascertain patients' readiness for change before offering to help produce individualized agreements of joint benefit on change. Three strategies for negotiation-bridging, trading, and logrolling-are discussed.