Abstract
ObjectivesOccupational health (OH) professionals could play a prominent role in smoking cessation treatment and support (SCTS) and help individuals and workplaces become smoke free. However, their role has not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess differences between OH professionals' perceptions of their role in SCTS by measuring three groups of OH professionals' attitudes, knowledge, and motivation concerning SCTS.MethodsWe collected data through an online survey completed by a cross‐sectional sample of OH professionals: OH physicians (n = 182), OH nurses (n = 296), and OH physiotherapists (n = 96), collected from national trade union registers. The differences between the OH professional groups were analyzed using ANOVA, the Kruskal‐Wallis, and chi‐square tests.ResultsThe OH professionals had a positive attitude toward offering SCTS and were highly motivated to enhance their knowledge of this topic and acquire further training. The OH physicians and OH nurses assessed their current knowledge as sufficient. Conversely, the OH physiotherapists' level of knowledge was seen as insufficient. Traditionally, OH physicians and OH nurses have been responsible for carrying out SCTS, but the majority of the OH physiotherapists thought that SCTS should also be included in their job description.ConclusionsAll the OH professionals were highly motivated to deepen their knowledge of SCTS. The barriers between different professionals need to be recognized in occupational health services (OHS). OHS should organize its SCTS more effectively, strengthen their contributions to smoking cessation programs, and recognize the potential of OH physiotherapists for providing SCTS and enable them to expand their training.
Highlights
Tobacco use remains the largest preventable cause of medical disease and cost in developed countries worldwide.[1,2] a significant proportion of smokers want to quit smoking, their attempts to do so are frequently unsuccessful.[3,4,5,6]Health professionals can potentially play a key role in battling the tobacco epidemic in their everyday health care routines, 7-11 as most of them could address tobacco dependence with smoking cessation treatment and support (SCTS) as part of their standard care practice.[7]
The current study investigates how occupational health (OH) professionals see their role in SCTS and what their role could be
For the OH physicians and OH nurses, SCTS is part of their job description; they have a positive attitude toward contributing to smoking cessation and are highly motivated to enhance their knowledge of and skills in this topic
Summary
Health professionals can potentially play a key role in battling the tobacco epidemic in their everyday health care routines, 7-11 as most of them could address tobacco dependence with smoking cessation treatment and support (SCTS) as part of their standard care practice.[7] The proportion of smokers who receive help from a physician or nurse is too low.[3,12,13] When a tobacco user receives advice from two or more health care professionals, the odds of successful cessation are doubled.[14] Familiarity with standard cessation protocols greatly affects occupational health (OH) professionals' tobacco-related practices.[15,16] This requires motivation and opportunity for further training in SCTS, in addition to a positive attitude. A positive attitude and experience of smoking cessation are associated with physicians and nurses actively offering SCTS.[17,18] many barriers exist, such as not regarding SCTS as the health professionals' responsibility 19 and lack of time and training.[16,19] smoking cessation interventions are often poorly implemented by health care professionals.[8,13,20,21]
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