Research: Provider Education on Secondhand Smoke

A new article in the most recent Nicotine & Tobacco Research confirms a few things about provider education that we’ve known for awhile. This large mixed-methods review confirms that (1) providers often report screening more frequently than patient records indicate is happening. They also confirm that (2) provider knowledge isn’t as complete as it needs to me; and that, even when the level of knowledge is high, (3) providers often fail to do anything about what the screening reveals. But (4) training can make a huge difference on behaviors. One area of specific concern is that pediatricians should screen for secondhand smoke exposure and if the patient screens positive, providers need to provide cessation assistance to parents. This study reveals that smoking cessation counseling is happening in about 11% of cases where a child is being exposed to smoke at home. This is doubly concerning given than research indicates that the strongest risk factor for a tobacco habit in a young person is a parent smoking, and one of the strongest predictors that a young person will transition to non-use is if a parent quits. use the link below for the study.

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