Doctor's Survey 2022 — Germany - Foundation for a Smoke-Free World

Doctors’ Survey — Germany

Germany 🇩🇪

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Physicians Have Misperceptions About Nicotine

Participants were asked: “To what extent do you agree that nicotine by itself directly causes each of the smoking-related conditions below: Lung cancer, Bladder cancer, Head/neck/gastric cancers, Atherosclerosis, Birth defects, COPD.” The results include responses from “moderately agree” to “completely agree.”

Nicotine causes atherosclerosis83%
Nicotine causes birth defects80%
Nicotine causes COPD78%
Nicotine causes head/neck gastric cancers78%
Nicotine causes lung cancer77%
Nicotine causes bladder cancer74%

80%

of respondents are interested in taking training on how to help their patients who smoke combustible tobacco products by reducing quitting smoking.

83%

of physicians feel like helping patients quit smoking is a priority.

Participants were asked: “Which of the following interventions or methods to aid your patients with smoking reduction/cessation do you typically recommend or prescribe to your patients who want to reduce or quit smoking?”

Over-the-counter nicotine replacement therapy
Social or family support
Psychological/psychiatric counseling or therapy
Cold turkey (suddenly quitting with no other help)
Alternative therapy
Prescription medication for smoking cessation
Withdrawal app
Referral to smoking cessation clinics
Chewing/sucking/dipping forms of tobacco products
Electronic nicotine delivery system/ecig
Heated tobacco products

Participants were asked: “Which of the following topics do you typically discuss or take action with your patients who smoke combustible forms of tobacco, regardless of other conditions they may have?”

Discuss health risks related to continued smoking71%
Discuss health benefits of quitting to the patient68%
Ask how much the patient smokes and for how long67%
Record smoking status on the patient chart or record65%
Assess importance of quitting to the patient61%
Assist the patient to develop a plan to quit58%
Explain the various methods available to help the patient reduce/quit smoking58%
Advise the patient to quit rather than gradually reduce57%
Recommend cutting down on the amount of smokable tobacco products used48%
Assess challenges to quitting use of smokable tobacco42%
Assess interest in trying a specific resource/product37%
Ask about patients current use of tobacco or nicotine-containing products other than combustible tobacco products37%
Discuss smoking at every visit29%
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