READINESS OF CHILEAN HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TOWARDS BRIEF TOBACCO CESSATION COUNSELING IN HOSPITALIZED SMOKING PATIENTS OF A PRIVATE INSTITUTION

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To assess readiness among healthcare providers in pre- and post- brief tobacco cessation counseling (BTCC) intervention for hospitalized smoking patients. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional correlational study, with 65 participants. RESULTS: 84,6% of the participants are women, with an average age of 33,8 years (DS9,1). 52,3% work as nursing technicians, followed by nurses (18,5%). 34,9% of the participants are smokers, of which 21,6% smoke between 1 and 5 cigarettes a day. Greater readiness and acceptability towards BTCC are observed in non-smoking healthcare providers. Significant differences are found in the post BTCC intervention group of smoking healthcare providers, improving their readiness and acceptability towards BTCC. CONCLUSIONS: The greater the tobacco consumption of healthcare providers, the lower readiness, acceptability, and common practice of performing BTCC on hospitalized adult patients. A BTCC intervention aimed at smoking healthcare providers has been shown to be effective in improving their readiness. Although being a smoking healthcare provider has shown to be a barrier to BTCC implementation, it is something that can be overcome with intervention, which is why it is important to consider the level of tobacco consumption of healthcare providers in future implementation of BTCC in hospitalized patients.