Abstract
Background: Middle Eastern population has demonstrated a clear shift in smoking habits in the recent years. The smoking habit is dominated by waterpipe smoking whose pervasiveness continues to increase at a disturbing rate. Patients consider healthcare professional as role models, therefore they play a significant role in the prevention of smoking.
Objective: The aim of this study is to establish the prevalence of smoking, smoking-cessation knowledge, and attitude among healthcare professionals in PHC centers in Qatif and assess the smoking-cessation analysis methods of these healthcare professionals.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed at 80 PHC centers in Qatif for a period of three weeks. The process of data collection was attained through the use of a certified self-administered questionnaire “Global Health Professional Survey” that was acquired from the WHO with minor adjustments.
Results: The study involved 80 PHC physicians. The prevalence of current smoking was reported at 15 % while that of female and male were 24 % and 11% respectively. Half of the ever-smoked healthcare professionals reported an attitude of thinking of quitting smoking, however 25% of the ever-smoked physicians started smoking when they were below 18 years old. All the participants concurred that smoking is harmful to one’s health. Conversely, ‘ever’ smokers in comparison to ‘non’ smokers, were less likely to counsel patients to stop smoking. Of the total healthcare professionals, 54 percent had attained formal training in smoking cessations strategies. However, only 32.4 percent of healthcare professionals felt very or somewhat prepared to advice their patients on how to stop smoking.
Conclusion
The rates of waterpipe smoking surpassed cigarette smoking among healthcare professionals in Qadif city. The pervasiveness of smoking remained inappropriately high among PHC physicians. Consequently, it is imperative to focus attention on smoking cessation training program.
