Approaches of Doctors in Different Branches to the Smoking Habits of Their Patients; Patient's Perspective Survey Study

1. INTRODUCTION:

Tobacco use can cause many health problems with both its direct effects on all systems and passive smoke exposure (1). Tobacco use is very common in the world and ranks second among the most common causes of death. According to the World Health Organization, 20.2% of people aged 15 and over smoke and more than 8 million people die each year from active smoking. The mortality rates due to passive smoking are too high to be underestimated, and approximately 1.2 million people are lost due to health problems and second-hand smoke exposure (2).

The prevalence of tobacco use among adults (aged 15 and over) is 31.2% (48% in men and 15% in women). Regular smoking is especially common between the ages of 25-44. Studies show that smoking rates in Turkey are inversely proportional to the level of education (3).

Physicians are the most influential ones on tobacco use behavior. Informing patients about tobacco addiction, helping with treatment, and drawing a sample profile by not using tobacco is a profile that every physician should portray. Today, smoking cessation support is provided by specialist physicians (Chest diseases, Family medicine) to help smokers quit. In this process, patients are supported with both behavioral treatment and medical treatment (4-5). However, this support should not be limited to the specified sections. The physician evaluating a patient should contribute to tobacco control regardless of his/her branch, learn whether the patient is using tobacco or not, advise the patient to quit if he/she is using it, and should inform and direct the patient from smoking cessation outpatient clinics.

In this study, it is aimed to evaluate the attitudes and habits of our physicians working in non-chest disease departments in our hospital and to determine their role in developing a positive attitude towards patients. With the results of the study, it is aimed to question the smoking habits of physicians in patients, to be a guide and leader, to reveal the differences in physician approaches according to branches, to be a guide for initiatives to increase positive attitudes by analyzing positive and negative results and self-criticism. 2. MATERIALS-METHODS: