Prevalence of Smoking and Attitudes Regarding Its Control among Healthcare Professionals in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Lucknow

Rajeev Kumar Dubey

Volume : VII, Issue : VIII, August - 2017

Prevalence of Smoking and Attitudes Regarding Its Control among Healthcare Professionals in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Lucknow

Rajeev Kumar Dubey

Abstract :

In a cross–sectional study conducted at a tertiary care hospital of Lucknow, data from 121 healthcare professionals regarding smoking habits, age of starting smoking, type of smoking, reason of the starting smoking, and number of cigarettes smoked per day, attitudes and smoking cessation counselling practices were collected through a self–administered questionnaire and analysed. Mean age of the participants was 39.2 ± 7.85 years and 52.9%were males. The gender–wise prevalence of smoking was quite higher in males (62.5%) than in females (7.02%). Smokers comprised 36.36%. More than one–third (35.5%) of the participants were influenced for smoking by friends. Healthcare professionals, who had used or currently use tobacco, were less approving of evidence–based measures to control tobacco than never users. The study shows a high prevalence rate of cigarette smoking among male healthcare professionals. Healthcare providers need to modify their attitudes towards smoking cessation counselling practices for the larger benefit of the society.