Characterization of Smoking Habits Patterns in Medical Doctors of a Central Hospital in Portugal - What Has Changed After 15 Years? A Comparative Cross-sectional Study

Abstract: Tobacco dependence remains one of the primary health care concerns worldwide. Attitude of healthcare professionals towards smoking is crucial for any long-term prevention and smoking cessation program.

Objectives: Analyze smoking habits of medical doctors from a central hospital in Lisbon (2014), comparing results between medical versus surgical specialities. Results were compared with those obtained in 1999.

Design and setting: A voluntary and anonymous questionnaire was distributed to all physicians for a period of 4 months. The questions included sociodemographic data, smoking habits characterization, attitudes towards smoking, importance attribute to smoking cessation programme in the hospital and knowledge of the 2008 country law.

Participants: All medical doctors working in the central hospital studied between 1/1/2014 and 30/6/2014 Outcome measures: The primary outcome measure was to characterize the smoking habits of medical doctors. Secondary outcomes included comparison of results between surgical and medical groups and with those obtain in a similar study in 1999.