Smoking Prevalence and Healthcare Provider Smoking Cessation Advice among US Worker Groups: The Nati

1
Smoking Prevalence and Healthcare Provider
Smoking Cessation Advice among US Worker Groups
The National Health Interview Survey
Lee DJ, Christ SL, Arheart K, Chung-Bridges K,
LeBlanc W, Caban A, Fleming LE, Pitman T Dept
Epidemiology Public Health (U. of Miami Miller
School of Medicine), Odum Research Institute (UNC
Chapel Hill, NC)

• Smoking is the most preventable cause of
  premature mortality in the U.S.
• Among workers in dusty occupations, tobacco use
  is particularly important due to the potential
  synergistic health effects of occupational
  exposures
• One of the most effective forms of smoking
  prevention is for the healthcare provider to
  recommend smoking cessation to their patient.

2
Methods

• Data from the 1997-2003 National Health Interview
  Survey (NHIS) was used to estimate pooled smoking
  prevalence rates in worker groups (n136,044
  workers gt 18 years of age). 2000 Cancer Control
  Module was used to estimate the prevalence of
  workers advised to quit smoking (n19,702
  workers).
• Smokers were asked to indicate in the past 12
  months if a medical doctor or other health care
  provider ASKED about tobacco usage.
• Smokers reporting yes were then asked if they
  were ADVISED to quit using tobacco products

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Results

• 82 of workers reported a health care contact in
  the previous 12 months range 55 in
  construction laborers to 94 in the health
  diagnosing occupations
• Nearly 26 of adult US worker population reported
  smoking (pooled 1997-2003 rates)
• Nearly 45 of smokers with healthcare encounters
  in the previous 12 months were advised to quit
• Reported quitting advice during health care
  provider contacts ranged from 59 in health
  service workers to 17 in construction laborers

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Results
5
Conclusion/Recommendations

• Less than half of employed smokers with a
  healthcare contact in the previous 12 months
  reported being advised to quit smoking
• There is no evidence that healthcare providers
  are especially vigilant about providing this
  advice to smokers employed in high risk
  occupations (e.g., construction)
• New efforts are needed to reduce smoking rates in
  the working population, including
• interventions designed to increase effective
  delivery of smoking cessation advice by
  healthcare providers
• smoking cessation services targeting workers who
  do not routinely have contact with health care
  providers
• Thank you / Questions?