Smoking cessation advice: the self-reported attitudes and practice of primary health care physicians in a military community, central Saudi Arabia

Figures & data

Figure 1 Percentage distribution of positive/negative attitude and favorable/unfavorable practice.

Abbreviation: PMS, percentage mean scores.

Table 1 Frequency and percentage distribution of physicians’ response to attitude and practice statements

	Strongly disagree n (%)	Disagree n (%)	Neutral n (%)	Agree n (%)	Strongly agree n (%)
Attitude statements
1. Giving brief smoking cessation advice is part of my duties (+)	0	0	0	29 (39.7)	44 (60.3)
2. It should be given regardless of the present complaint (+)	0	10 (13.7)	0	39 (53.4)	24 (32.9)
3. Brief smoking cessation advice needs special training (−)	4 (5.5)	21 (28.8)	2 (2.7)	33 (45.2)	13 (17.8)
4. I don’t feel confident in giving brief smoking cessation advice (−)	18 (24.7)	36 (49.3)	5 (6.8)	14 (19.2)	0
5. I don’t feel comfortable giving brief smoking cessation advice (−)	23 (31.5)	33 (45.2)	5 (6.8)	11 (15.1)	1 (1.4)
6. If the physician is a smoker, he should not give smoking cessation advice to his patients (−)	28 (38.5)	33 (45.2)	2 (2.7)	5 (6.8)	5 (6.8)
7. Brief smoking cessation advice is helpful in quitting (+)	2 (2.7)	7 (9.6)	2 (2.7)	37 (50.7)	25 (34.3)
8. Brief smoking cessation advice is time consuming (−)	13 (17.8)	37 (50.7)	2 (2.7)	16 (21.9)	5 (6.9)
9. Brief smoking cessation advice is not effective (−)	25 (34.2)	37 (50.7)	4 (5.5)	6 (8.2)	1 (1.4)
10. Presence of hospital guidelines and special clinics for smoking cessation will encourage me to provide advice (+)	1 (1.4)	5 (6.8)	0	28 (38.4)	39 (53.4)
Practice statements
1. I used to give smoking cessation advice frequently as needed (−)	2 (2.7)	12 (16.5)	1 (1.4)	36 (49.3)	22 (30.1)
2. I rarely provide smoking cessation advice to my patients (−)	18 (24.7)	38 (52.1)	1 (1.4)	14 (19.1)	2 (2.7)
3. I give advice only upon patient request (−)	16 (21.9)	41 (56.2)	3 (4.1)	11 (15.1)	2 (2.7)
4. I give advice only if it is relevant to the present complaint (−)	12 (16.4)	36 (49.3)	1 (1.4)	19 (26.0)	5 (6.9)
5. I give advice only if there is enough time (−)	9 (12.3)	32 (43.8)	0	29 (39.7)	3 (4.2)
6. I usually encourage smokers to quit with no further actions (−)	4 (5.5)	22 (30.1)	7 (9.6)	38 (52.1)	2 (2.7)

Notes: n, frequency; (+), positive direction; (−), negative direction.

Table 2 Sample characteristics compared by the percentage mean scores of attitude and practice

	Frequency n (%)	Attitude X±SD	Practice X±SD
	73 (100.0)	72.4±11.2	65.3±27.7
Sex
Male	38 (52.1)	73.9±11.3	70.6±25.5
Female	35 (47.9)	70.7±11.0	59.5±29.2
		t=1.211, P=0.230	t=1.731, P=0.088
Age of physician (years)
≤30	29 (39.7)	69.1±10.7	54.0±27.3
31–40	26 (35.6)	73.5±11.5	66.0±26.4
>40	18 (24.7)	75.9±10.8	82.4±21.7
		F=2.345, df=2, P=0.103	F=6.759, df=2, P=0.002*
Experience (years)
1–5	36 (49.3)	71.3±10.9	58.3±27.5
6–10	13 (17.8)	72.1±11.6	67.9±23.0
Above 10	24 (32.9)	74.1±11.7	74.3±28.6
		F=0.429, df=2, P=0.653	F=2.566, df=2, P=0.084
Job title
General practitioner	52 (71.4)	71.3±10.3	63.8±27.4
Specialist	8 (10.7)	72.2±11.1	54.2±24.8
Consultant	13(17.9)	76.5±14.4	78.2±28.4
		F=1.122, df=2, P=0.331	F=2.194, df=2, P=0.118
Education level
Bachelor	37 (50.7)	69.1±10.5	58.6±27.1
Post graduate	36 (49.3)	75.7±11.01	72.2±27.0
		t=-2.605, P=0.011*	t=-2.156, P=0.034*
Smoking education program (past year)
None	41 (56.2)	71.3±11.9	62.6±28.3
Yes	32 (43.8)	73.8±10.3	68.8±27.0
		t=−0.934, P=0.354	t=−0.939, P=0.351

Notes: n, frequency; t, Student’s t-test; F, one-way ANOVA.

* Statistically significant at <0.05.

Abbreviations: ANOVA, analysis of variance; CI, confidence interval; df, degrees of freedom; SD, standard deviation; X, mean.

Table 3 Factors significantly associated with positive attitude and favorable practice

	Logistic regression
	Positive attitude				Favorable practice
	β	SE	Adj. P-value	Adj. OR (95% CI)	β	SE	Adj. P-value	Adj. OR (95% CI)
Sex
Male versus female	0.47	0.60	0.430	1.61 (0.50–5.19)	1.09	0.58	0.061	2.96 (0.95–9.23)
Experience
Senior (>5 years) versus junior (≤5 years)	−1.80	0.95	0.058	0.17 (0.03–1.06)	2.25	0.89	0.012*	9.46 (1.64–54.55)
Job title
Specialists versus general practitioners	−1.29	1.18	0.273	0.28 (0.03–2.77)	−0.95	1.04	0.360	0.39 (0.05–2.97)
Education level
Higher versus lower	2.89	1.33	0.030*	17.94 (1.33–242.3)	−0.04	0.97	0.965	0.96 (0.14–6.46)
Training in past year
Yes versus none	0.39	0.69	0.571	1.48 (0.38–5.7)	−0.232	0.68	0.734	0.79 (0.21–3.01)
Attitude
Positive versus negative	–	–	–	–	1.81	0.68	0.008*	6.10 (1.60–23.25)
Constant	0.78	0.50	0.116	2.18	−1.84	0.71	0.010	0.16

Notes: β, coefficient of determination.

* Statistically significant at P<0.05.

Abbreviations: adj., adjusted; CI, confidence interval; OR, odds ratio; SE, standard error.