Global survey shows serious gap between docs, smokers

There is a significant communication gap between doctors and their smoking patients, according to combined results from two of the largest international surveys of physicians’ and smokers’ attitudes to smoking and smoking cessation.

Results showed that there are significant differences between doctors’ smoking cessation practices and smokers’ experiences.

The surveys, sponsored by Pfizer and conducted by Harris Interactive Inc., said that both doctors and smokers acknowledge the harmful effects of smoking and the importance of quitting.

A majority of physicians (69 percent) believe that smoking is the most harmful activity to affect their patients’ long-term health compared with lack of exercise (42 percent), unhealthy diet (36 percent), drinking alcohol (30 percent) and over-eating/obesity (23 percent).

Similarly, most smokers (75 percent) are concerned about the health risks of smoking and the majority (81 percent) agree that quitting smoking is the best way to improve their health.

Although 66 percent of doctors said they explain various methods of quitting to their patients, only half of the smokers who have talked to a doctor about smoking (33 percent) said they received this advice.

In addition, although 47 percent of doctors said they develop quit plans for their patients to assist them, only a quarter of the smokers who have talked to a doctor about smoking (13 percent) said this was the case.

"These surveys provide valuable insight into the need for improved communication between smokers and doctors," said Hayden McRobbie, of the Clinical Trials Research Unit of University of Auckland, New Zealand.

"Although smokers know that quitting smoking is the single biggest step to improving their health, these surveys show that patients do not often believe they are receiving the support and advice from their doctors that is vital to successfully quit smoking," McRobbie added.

Smoking is a chronic, relapsing medical condition that involves a physical and psychological addiction to nicotine.

According to the World Health Organization, less than five percent who attempt to quit unaided remain smoke-free at one year. Even with assistance, quitting smoking is still difficult. Indeed, 56 percent of smokers who have tried to quit said it is the hardest thing they have ever tried to do.

Both physicians and smokers believe that it is the smoker who is most responsible for quitting and that individual willpower is vitally important to a successful quit attempt.

Ninety-two percent of physicians think quitting is primarily up to individual willpower and 91 percent of smokers agreed. Yet willpower alone is usually an ineffective method to quit, as a large percentage of doctors (who smoke and tried to quit) (58 percent) and smokers (81 percent) have failed to quit smoking using willpower alone.

The surveys also highlighted that doctors need better support, resources and improved training to engage patients.

Data from the surveys showed that doctors want effective smoking cessation medications (81 percent) and additional coaching on motivating their patients to quit (78 percent).

Data from the surveys also showed that 51 percent of doctors said they do not have time to help their patients quit, 46 percent said they had higher priorities, and 38 percent said they were not appropriately trained to help patients quit smoking.

"Although governments are taking steps to curb smoking by initiating smoke-free policies, there needs to be more support from doctors for smokers trying to quit," said Serena Tonstad of the Department of Preventive Cardiology of Ullevål University Hospital, Norway.