The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: In developing nations where the prevalence of tobacco use is high, physicians can play an important role in promoting a reduction in tobacco use and ultimately a decline in tobacco-induced morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, data on physicians' interventions on tobacco use in India are limited.

Methods: We conducted an exit interview survey among 915 patients (women 411) attending the outpatient departments in four types of public health care institutions including two primary health centres (PHC), two taluk (sub district) hospitals, two district hospitals and a medical school hospital located in two districts in Kerala, India. Information on tobacco use and physicians' tobacco intervention was collected using a pre-tested structured questionnaire

Results: Physician initiated tobacco intervention was reported by 40.7% males, and 20.4% females. Among the 57.3% (95% CI 52.9-61.7) of males and 23.8 %( 95% CI 19.8-28.3) of females who reported current tobacco use, only 30.5% of males and 32.6% of females reported being advised by their physicians to quit. Similarly, very few people who smoked reported ever asking their physician for help with cessation. Nearly 76% respondents reported that it was the job of a physician to address tobacco use. This is one of the first studies reporting on physician tobacco interventions in India. Our findings suggest that rates of physicians' interventions on tobacco use among patients are very low. Hence, there is an urgent need for training physicians in cessation interventions and encouraging them to take a proactive role in offering cessation to patients in clinical settings.