Community pharmacists' involvement in smoking cessation: familiarity and implementation of the National smoking cessation guideline in Finland

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Terhi Kurko¹  Marja Airaksinen¹  Kari Linden²  Kirsi Pietilä³  Patrick Sandström⁴ 

[1] Faculty of Pharmacy, Division of Social Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, University of Helsinki, P.O Box 56, Viikinkaari 9C, 00014, Finland;Pfizer Oy, Helsinki, Finland;Pharmacy of Malmi, Helsinki, Finland;The National Institute of Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland;

关键词: Smoking Cessation;    Nicotine Replacement Therapy;    Community Pharmacy;    Community Pharmacist;    Smoking Cessation Counseling;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-10-444

 received in 2010-04-28, accepted in 2010-07-29,  发布年份 2010

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundGuidelines on smoking cessation (SC) emphasize healthcare cooperation and community pharmacists' involvement. This study explored the familiarity and implementation of the National SC Guideline in Finnish community pharmacies, factors relating to Guideline familiarity, implementation and provision of SC services.MethodsA nationwide mail survey was sent to a systematic, sample of community pharmacy owners and staff pharmacists (total n = 2291). Response rate was 54% (n = 1190). Factors related to the SC Guideline familiarity were assessed by bivariate and multivariate analysis.ResultsAlmost half (47%) of the respondents (n = 1190) were familiar with the SC Guideline and familiarity enhanced Guideline implementation. The familiarity was associated with the respondents' perceptions of their personal SC skills and knowledge (OR 3.8); of customers' value of counseling on nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (OR 3.3); and regular use of a pocket card supporting SC counseling (OR 3.0). Pharmacists' workplaces' characteristics, such as size and geographical location were not associated with familiarity. In addition to recommending NRT, the pharmacists familiar with the Guideline used more frequently other Guideline-based SC methods, such as recommended non-pharmacological SC aids, compared to unfamiliar respondents.ConclusionsSC Guideline familiarity and implementation is crucial for community pharmacists' involvement in SC actions in addition to selling NRT products. Pharmacists can constitute a potential public health resource in SC easily accessible throughout the country.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Kurko et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2010