Recent manuscripts
Archive
Aims and Scope
Editorial Board
Open Access
Indexing
Contact us
Authorship & COI
Principles of Transparency Checklist
Publication Ethics
Crossmark
Data Policies
Supporting Diversity
Instructions to authors (PDF)
Manuscript Types
Manuscript Formatting
How to submit
Special Publications & Reprints
Preprints
TID on Twitter
RESEARCH PAPER
Tobacco smoking among doctors in mainland China: a study from Shandong province and review of the literature
| 1 | School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle,
Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia |
| 2 | Institute of Health and Biomedical
Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland,
Australia |
| 3 | Department of Medicine, Longkou Chinese Medicine Hospital,
Longkou, Shandong, China |
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Derek R. Smith
School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, University of Newcastle, Ourimbah, New South Wales, Australia
Submission date: 2012-04-05
Acceptance date: 2012-09-14
Publication date: 2012-09-24
Tobacco Induced Diseases 2012;10(September):14
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Background:
Tobacco control represents a key area in which doctors can make a significant positive impact on their patients’ lives. Despite this fact, however, doctors in certain regions of China are known to smoke tobacco at rates similar to or even exceeding those seen within the general population.
Objective:
This study sought to investigate the smoking habits of doctors at a teaching hospital in Shandong province, as well as providing a brief review of smoking research that has been conducted among doctors elsewhere in China.
Method:
An anonymous questionnaire survey was distributed to doctors working at a university teaching hospital in 2008, as part of a larger study of occupational health issues in the healthcare profession.
Results:
The overall smoking prevalence rate of doctors in this study was 36.3% with significant differences observed between the genders (males: 46.7% and females: 5.3%). Age and total career length were also correlated with smoking habit, although no significant associations were found with department of employment.
Conclusions:
Overall, our study suggests that smoking rates among doctors in Shandong province are higher than those documented in many other countries, a finding which is consistent with previous research conducted in some other Chinese provinces. Addressing this issue from an intrinsic cultural perspective will clearly need to form the cornerstone of tobacco control efforts within the Chinese medical community in future years.
Tobacco control represents a key area in which doctors can make a significant positive impact on their patients’ lives. Despite this fact, however, doctors in certain regions of China are known to smoke tobacco at rates similar to or even exceeding those seen within the general population.
Objective:
This study sought to investigate the smoking habits of doctors at a teaching hospital in Shandong province, as well as providing a brief review of smoking research that has been conducted among doctors elsewhere in China.
Method:
An anonymous questionnaire survey was distributed to doctors working at a university teaching hospital in 2008, as part of a larger study of occupational health issues in the healthcare profession.
Results:
The overall smoking prevalence rate of doctors in this study was 36.3% with significant differences observed between the genders (males: 46.7% and females: 5.3%). Age and total career length were also correlated with smoking habit, although no significant associations were found with department of employment.
Conclusions:
Overall, our study suggests that smoking rates among doctors in Shandong province are higher than those documented in many other countries, a finding which is consistent with previous research conducted in some other Chinese provinces. Addressing this issue from an intrinsic cultural perspective will clearly need to form the cornerstone of tobacco control efforts within the Chinese medical community in future years.
REFERENCES (50)
1.
World Health Organization (WHO) Website: Why is tobacco a public health priority?.http://www.who.int/tobacco/hea....
2.
Smith DR, L'Abbate N, Lorusso A: Tobacco smoking among Italian physicians and the role of occupational medicine. La Medicina del lavoro. 2008, 99 (1): 3-7.
3.
Smith DR, Leggat PA: Smoking among Healthcare Professionals. 2011, Sydney: Darlington Press.
4.
Davis RM: When doctors smoke. Tob Control. 1993, 2: 187-188. 10.1136/tc.2.3.187.
5.
World Health Organization (WHO): Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS). Fact Sheet China:. 2010,http://www.who.int/tobacco/sur....
6.
Abdullah AS, Qiming F, Pun V, Stillman FA, Samet JM: A review of tobacco smoking and smoking cessation practices among physicians in China: 1987-2010. Tob Control. 2011, 10.1136/tobaccocontrol-2011-050135.
7.
Lee S: Beyond the cloud: smoking Chinese doctors. J Thorac Dis. 2011, 3 (3): 211-212.
8.
Smith DR, Leggat PA: An international review of tobacco smoking in the medical profession: 1974-2004. BMC Publ Health. 2007, 7 (1): 115-10.1186/1471-2458-7-115.
10.
Li HZ, Rosenblood L: Chinese physicians' cigarette smoking habits and their anti-smoking counselling practices. Health Promot Int. 1996, 11 (2): 89-94. 10.1093/heapro/11.2.89.
11.
Li HZ, Fish D, Zhou X: Increase in cigarette smoking and decline of anti-smoking counselling among Chinese physicians: 1987–1996. Health Prom Int. 1999, 14 (2): 123-131. 10.1093/heapro/14.2.123.
12.
Abdullah ASM, Rahman ASMM, Suen CW, Wing LS, Ling LW, Mei LY, Tat LC, Tai MN, Wing TN, Yuen WT: Investigation of Hong Kong doctors' current knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, confidence and practices: implications for the treatment of tobacco dependency. J Chin Med Assoc. 2006, 69 (10): 461-471. 10.1016/S1726-4901(09)70310-7.
13.
Yan J, Xiao S, Ouyang D, Jiang D, He C, Yi S: Smoking behavior, knowledge, attitudes and practice among health care providers in Changsha city, China. Nicotine Tob Res. 2008, 10 (4): 737-744. 10.1080/14622200801901930.
14.
Yao T, Ong M, Lee A, Jiang Y, Mao Z: Smoking knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and associated factors among Chinese male surgeons. World J Surg. 2009, 33 (5): 910-917. 10.1007/s00268-009-9938-0.
15.
Smith DR, Wei N, Zhang YJ, Wang RS: Tobacco smoking habits among a cross-section of rural physicians in China. Aust J Rural Health. 2006, 14 (2): 66-71. 10.1111/j.1440-1584.2006.00766.x.
16.
Jiang Y, Ong MK, Tong EK, Yang Y, Nan Y, Gan Q, Hu TW: Chinese physicians and their smoking knowledge, attitudes, and practices. Am J Prev Med. 2007, 33 (1): 15-22. 10.1016/j.amepre.2007.02.037.
17.
Li HZ, Sun WX, Cheng FM, Wang XR, Liu WP, Wang AS: Cigarette smoking status and smoking cessation counseling of Chinese physicians in Wuhan, Hubei province. Asia-Pacific journal of public health / Asia-Pacific Academic Consortium for Public Health. 2008, 20 (3): 183-192. 10.1177/1010539508317821.
18.
Ceraso M, McElroy JA, Kuang X, Vila PM, Du X, Lu L, Ren H, Qian N, Jorenby DE, Fiore MC: Smoking, barriers to quitting, and smoking-related knowledge, attitudes, and patient practices among male physicians in China. Prev Chronic Dis. 2009, 6 (1): A06.
19.
Lam TH, Jiang CQ, Chan YF, Chan SSC: Smoking cessation intervention practices in Chinese physicians: do gender and smoking status matter?. Health Soc Care Comm. 2011, 19 (2): 126-137.
20.
Zhou J, Abdullah AS, Pun VC, Huang D, Lu S, Luo S: Smoking status and cessation counseling practices among physicians, Guangxi, China, 2007. Prev Chronic Dis. 2010, 7 (1): 1-10.
21.
Wu SY, Li HY, Wang XR, Yang SJ, Qiu H: A comparison of the effect of work stress on burnout and quality of life between female nurses and female doctors. Arch Environ Occup Health. 2011, 66 (4): 193-200. 10.1080/19338244.2010.539639.
22.
Shi Y, Yu C, Luo A, Huang Y, Warner DO: Perioperative tobacco interventions by Chinese anesthesiologists: practices and attitudes. Anesthesiology. 2010, 112 (2): 338-346. 10.1097/ALN.0b013e3181c91ee7.
23.
Shin SS, Xiao D, Cao M, Wang C, Li Q, Chai WX, Lindsay RP, Usita P, Novotny TE: Patient and doctor perspectives on incorporating smoking cessation into tuberculosis care in Beijing, China. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2012, 16 (1): 126-131. 10.5588/ijtld.11.0044.
24.
Zhang CM, Xiao D, West R, Michie S, Troughton R, Hajek P, Wang C: Evaluation of 3-day smoking cessation training course for doctors from 38 cities in China. Chin Med J (Engl). 2012, 125 (7): 1338-1340.
25.
Pipe A, Sorensen M, Reid R: Physician smoking status, attitudes toward smoking, and cessation advice to patients: An international survey. Patient Educ Couns. 2009, 74 (1): 118-123. 10.1016/j.pec.2008.07.042.
26.
Xiang H, Wang Z, Stallones L, Yu S, Gimbel HW, Yang P: Cigarette smoking among medical college students in Wuhan, People's Republic of China. Prev Med. 1999, 29 (3): 210-215. 10.1006/pmed.1999.0525.
27.
Smith DR, Leggat PA: An international review of tobacco smoking among medical students. J Postgrad Med. 2007, 53 (1): 55-62. 10.4103/0022-3859.30333.
28.
Wong XZ, Hong ZG, Chen DY: National Smoking Survey Group. Results of a national survey of smoking. National Medical Journal of China. 1987, 67 (4): 229-232. [in Chinese].
29.
Yu JM, Hu DY, Jiang QW, Zhang LJ, Dong Y, Li SC: Smoking status in Chinese cardiovascular physicians in 2008. Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi. 2009, 89 (34): 2400-2403. [in Chinese].
30.
Smith DR, Wei N, Wang RS: Tobacco smoking habits among Chinese medical students and their need for health promotion initiatives. Health Promot J Austr. 2005, 16 (3): 233-235.
31.
Smith DR, Wei N, Wang RS: Contemporary smoking habits among nurses in Mainland China. Contemp Nurse. 2005, 20 (2): 258-266. 10.5172/conu.20.2.258.
32.
Hu M, Rich ZC, Luo D, Xiao S: Cigarette sharing and gifting in rural China: a focus group study. Nicotine Tob Res. 2012, 14 (3): 361-367. 10.1093/ntr/ntr262.
33.
Kaetsu A, Fukushima T, Moriyama M, Shigematsu T: Smoking behavior and related lifestyle variables among physicians in Fukuoka, Japan: A cross sectional study. J Epidemiol. 2002, 12: 199-207. 10.2188/jea.12.199.
34.
Smith DR: The historical decline of tobacco smoking among United States physicians: 1949–1984. Tob Induc Dis. 2008, 4 (1): 9-10.1186/1617-9625-4-9.
35.
Smith DR, Leggat PA: The historical decline of tobacco smoking among Australian physicians: 1964–1997. Tob Induc Dis. 2008, 4: 13-10.1186/1617-9625-4-13.
36.
Doll R, Peto R, Boreham J, Sutherland I: Mortality in relation to smoking: 50 years' observations on male British doctors. BMJ (Clinical research ed). 2004, 328: 1519-1528. 10.1136/bmj.38142.554479.AE.
37.
Smith DR, Leggat PA: Tobacco smoking was dramatically reduced among New Zealand health care workers between 1963 and 1996, but what happened after that?. N Z Med J. 2007, 120 (1263): U2758.
38.
Edwards R, Peace J, Stanley J, Atkinson J, Wilson N, Thomson G: Setting a good example? Changes in smoking prevalence among key occupational groups in New Zealand: evidence from the 1981 and 2006 censuses. Nicotine Tob Res. 2012, 14 (3): 329-337. 10.1093/ntr/ntr218.
39.
Smith DR: Longitudinal trends of alcohol and tobacco consumption among Australian physicians and nurses, 1989–2005. Journal of Substance Use. 2007, 12 (4): 267-280. 10.1080/14659890601157679.
40.
Smith DR, Wada K: Declining rates of tobacco use in the Japanese medical profession, 1965–2009. J Epidemiol. 2012, 10.2188/jea.JE20120121.
41.
Yang G, Ma J, Chen A, Zhang Y, Samet JM, Taylor CE, Becker K: Smoking cessation in China: findings from the 1996 national prevalence survey. Tob Control. 2001, 10 (2): 170-174. 10.1136/tc.10.2.170.
42.
Kim SS, Chen W, Kolodziej M, Wang X, Wang VJ, Ziedonis D: A systematic review of smoking cessation intervention studies in China. Nicotine Tob Res. 2012, 14 (8): 891-899. 10.1093/ntr/ntr289.
43.
Klink K, Lin S, Elkin Z, Strigenz D, Liu S: Smoking cessation knowledge, attitudes, and practice among community health providers in China. Fam Med. 2011, 43 (3): 198-200.
44.
Liu Y, Chen L: New medical data and leadership on tobacco control in China. Lancet. 2011, 377 (9773): 1218-1220. 10.1016/S0140-6736(10)61391-8.
45.
Kohrman M: Smoking among doctors: Governmentality, embodiment, and the diversion of blame in contemporary China. Medical Anthropology. 2008, 27 (1): 9-42. 10.1080/01459740701831401.
46.
Rich ZC, Xiao S: Tobacco as a social currency: cigarette gifting and sharing in China. Nicotine Tob Res. 2012, 14 (3): 258-263. 10.1093/ntr/ntr156.
47.
Lin Y, Fraser T: A review of smoke-free health care in mainland China. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2011, 15 (4): 453-458. 10.5588/ijtld.10.0049.
48.
Ma GX, Lan YJ, Toubbeh MI, Zhai CK: Tobacco use in China: prevalence, consequences and control. Californian J Health Promot. 2004, 2 (1): 107-119.
49.
Bland B: China tells doctors to quit smoking to set example to patients. BMJ. 2009, 338: b993-10.1136/bmj.b993.
50.
Smith DR, Takahashi K: Too many Japanese university students are still smoking tobacco. Tob Induc Dis. 2008, 4 (1): 10-10.1186/1617-9625-4-10.
CITATIONS (17):
1.
The International Epidemiology of Lung Cancer: Latest Trends, Disparities, and Tumor Characteristics
Ting-Yuan David Cheng, Susanna M. Cramb, Peter D. Baade, Danny R. Youlden, Chukwumere Nwogu, Mary E. Reid
Journal of Thoracic Oncology
Ting-Yuan David Cheng, Susanna M. Cramb, Peter D. Baade, Danny R. Youlden, Chukwumere Nwogu, Mary E. Reid
Journal of Thoracic Oncology
2.
Perceptions of smoking cessation among Glasgow's Chinese community
William Spence, Lanyu Zhu
Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
William Spence, Lanyu Zhu
Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
3.
Smoking cessation practice and research in China: What's history and culture got to do with it?
Elizabeth Dean, Michael Bodner, Hana Al-Bannay, Zhenyi Li
Respirology
Elizabeth Dean, Michael Bodner, Hana Al-Bannay, Zhenyi Li
Respirology
4.
Beverage Intake, Smoking Behavior, and Alcohol Consumption in Contemporary China—A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey
Yen-Han Lee, Zhi Wang, Timothy Chiang, Ching-Ti Liu
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Yen-Han Lee, Zhi Wang, Timothy Chiang, Ching-Ti Liu
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
5.
The belief that secondhand smoke causes serious illness among Chinese smokers: Smoking cessation and intention to quit
Zachary Madewell
Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
Zachary Madewell
Tobacco Prevention & Cessation
6.
Individual and interpersonal triggers to quit smoking in China: a cross-sectional analysis
P. K. Im, A. McNeill, M. E. Thompson, G. T. Fong, S. Xu, A. C. K. Quah, Y. Jiang, L. Shahab
Tobacco Control
P. K. Im, A. McNeill, M. E. Thompson, G. T. Fong, S. Xu, A. C. K. Quah, Y. Jiang, L. Shahab
Tobacco Control
7.
Prevalence of tobacco use in healthcare workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Kapka Nilan, Tricia McKeever, Ann McNeill, Martin Raw, Rachael Murray, Stanton Glantz
PLOS ONE
Kapka Nilan, Tricia McKeever, Ann McNeill, Martin Raw, Rachael Murray, Stanton Glantz
PLOS ONE
8.
Cigarette Smoking, Health-Related Behaviors, and Burnout Among Mental Health Professionals in China: A Nationwide Survey
Lei Xia, Feng Jiang, Jeffrey Rakofsky, Yulong Zhang, Kai Zhang, Tingfang Liu, Yuanli Liu, Huanzhong Liu, Yi-lang Tang
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Lei Xia, Feng Jiang, Jeffrey Rakofsky, Yulong Zhang, Kai Zhang, Tingfang Liu, Yuanli Liu, Huanzhong Liu, Yi-lang Tang
Frontiers in Psychiatry
9.
Boosting Chinese healthcare service providers’ utilization of behavioural and pharmacotherapy interventions for cigarette smoking cessation by ‘WeChat WeQuit’ program
Yanhui Liao, Yunfei Wang, Zhenzhen Wu, Yuhang Liu, Chudong Wang, Jinsong Tang
Yanhui Liao, Yunfei Wang, Zhenzhen Wu, Yuhang Liu, Chudong Wang, Jinsong Tang
10.
Determinants of Support for a Smoke-free University Policy
Mohamed Bamashmous
The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice
Mohamed Bamashmous
The Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice
11.
The Moderating Effect of Community-Level Deprivation on the Association between Individual Characteristics and Smoking Behavior among Chinese Adults: A Cross-Level Study
Nan Chen, Chang-Gyeong Kim
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Nan Chen, Chang-Gyeong Kim
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
12.
Noncommunicable disease risk factors among the trainee doctors of a tertiary level diabetes hospital in Bangladesh
Tonima Sultana, Mithila Faruque, Palash Banik, Sharmin Sultana, Feroz Amin, Mohammad Zaman
Lifestyle Medicine
Tonima Sultana, Mithila Faruque, Palash Banik, Sharmin Sultana, Feroz Amin, Mohammad Zaman
Lifestyle Medicine
15.
Feasibility and Acceptability of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Smartphone App for Smoking Cessation in China: A Single-Group Cohort Study
Yanhui Liao, Jinsong Tang
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Yanhui Liao, Jinsong Tang
Frontiers in Psychiatry
16.
Smoking Habbit Among Doctors: A cross-sectional Study of Turkish Doctors
Duygu ZORLU
Ahi Evran Medical Journal
Duygu ZORLU
Ahi Evran Medical Journal
17.
Diverging Trends and Expanding Educational Gaps in Smoking in China
Lei Jin, Lin Tao, Xiangqian Lao
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Lei Jin, Lin Tao, Xiangqian Lao
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
We process personal data collected when visiting the website. The function of obtaining information about users and their behavior is carried out by voluntarily entered information in forms and saving cookies in end devices. Data, including cookies, are used to provide services, improve the user experience and to analyze the traffic in accordance with the Privacy policy. Data are also collected and processed by Google Analytics tool (more).
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.
You can change cookies settings in your browser. Restricted use of cookies in the browser configuration may affect some functionalities of the website.