Knowledge and perceptions of nicotine, smoking cessation and electronic nicotine delivery systems among physicians and pharmacists in a Swiss hospital group.

IF 2.2 4区医学 Q2 PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

Tobacco Induced Diseases Pub Date : 2025-07-24 eCollection Date: 2025-01-01 DOI:10.18332/tid/204839

Samuel E Christen, Elisabetta Scanniello, Felix Hammann, Carla Meyer-Massetti, Reto Auer, Jean-François Etter, Evangelia Liakoni

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction: Despite the important role that healthcare professionals play in smoking cessation strategies, recent reports from several countries show misperceptions about nicotine, pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation and novel nicotine products, but little is known about such knowledge gaps among healthcare professionals in Switzerland.

Methods: This study involved a cross-sectional anonymous survey. Physicians and pharmacists from a large hospital group in Switzerland were invited in 2023 by e-mail to participate. The survey covered nicotine, smoking cessation, and knowledge of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

Results: Of the 2035 healthcare professionals contacted, 279 responded to the survey (14%). Fifty-three percent of participants identified as women, 69% were in the age group of ≤40 years, 77% were never smokers, and 85% saw patients daily. The majority (76%) agreed that nicotine is the main substance in tobacco responsible for addiction, while 73% and 69% disagreed that nicotine on its own causes cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respectively. Most participants (n=128; 63%) opposed the recommendation of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid, although e-cigarettes were considered less harmful than combustible cigarettes, both for users and bystanders. Nevertheless, 64% considered them to be equally or more problematic for public health than tobacco cigarettes.

Conclusions: This survey highlights knowledge gaps and misperceptions about nicotine and smoking cessation products among healthcare professionals in a large hospital group in Switzerland. Respondents appeared to have a relative accurate understanding regarding most of the direct effects of nicotine. However, uncertainties were noted in relation to newer products such as e-cigarettes. Future research should extend to other healthcare professionals and assess the impact of targeted training on knowledge and clinical practice.

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瑞士某医院集团内科医生和药剂师对尼古丁、戒烟和电子尼古丁输送系统的认识和认知。

导言：尽管医疗保健专业人员在戒烟策略中发挥着重要作用，但最近来自几个国家的报告显示了对尼古丁，戒烟药物治疗和新型尼古丁产品的误解，但瑞士医疗保健专业人员对此类知识差距知之甚少。方法：采用横断面匿名调查。瑞士一家大型医院集团的医生和药剂师于2023年通过电子邮件被邀请参加。该调查涵盖了尼古丁、戒烟和电子尼古丁传递系统（ENDS）的知识。结果：在联系的2035名医疗保健专业人员中，279人回应了调查（14%）。53%的参与者为女性，69%的参与者年龄≤40岁，77%的参与者从不吸烟，85%的参与者每天都要看病人。大多数人（76%）同意尼古丁是烟草中导致上瘾的主要物质，而73%和69%的人分别不同意尼古丁本身会导致癌症或慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）。大多数参与者(n=128；63%)反对将电子烟作为戒烟辅助工具的建议，尽管电子烟被认为对使用者和旁观者的危害都小于可燃香烟。然而，64%的人认为它们对公共卫生造成的问题与烟草卷烟一样或更大。结论：这项调查突出了知识差距和误解的尼古丁和戒烟产品的医疗保健专业人员在一个大的医院集团在瑞士。受访者似乎对尼古丁的大多数直接影响有相对准确的理解。然而，人们注意到电子烟等新产品的不确定性。未来的研究应扩展到其他医疗保健专业人员，并评估针对性培训对知识和临床实践的影响。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Tobacco Induced Diseases SUBSTANCE ABUSE-PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

CiteScore

5.30

自引率

5.40%

发文量

审稿时长

12 weeks

期刊介绍： Tobacco Induced Diseases encompasses all aspects of research related to the prevention and control of tobacco use at a global level. Preventing diseases attributable to tobacco is only one aspect of the journal, whose overall scope is to provide a forum for the publication of research articles that can contribute to reducing the burden of tobacco induced diseases globally. To address this epidemic we believe that there must be an avenue for the publication of research/policy activities on tobacco control initiatives that may be very important at a regional and national level. This approach provides a very important "hands on" service to the tobacco control community at a global scale - as common problems have common solutions. Hence, we see ourselves as "connectors" within this global community. The journal hence encourages the submission of articles from all medical, biological and psychosocial disciplines, ranging from medical and dental clinicians, through health professionals to basic biomedical and clinical scientists.