Improving smoking cessation outcomes in secondary care: Predictors of hospital staff willingness to provide smoking cessation referral

• Knowledge of methods and resources for smoking cessation increases referral rates.
• Just educating about smoking harm will not increase willingness for referral.
• Education should include resources and methods about smoking cessation.

Since implementation of the New Smoking Cessation Policy in Taiwan, more patients are attending smoking cessation clinics. Many of these patients were referred by hospital staff. Thus, factors which influence the hospital staff's willingness to refer are important. In this study, we aim to understand the relation between smoking cessation knowledge and willingness for referral.A cross-sectional study using a questionnaire was conducted with staff of a community hospital during the year 2012–2013. Willingness to provide smoking cessation referral and relevant correlated variables including demographic data, knowledge of basic cigarette harm, and knowledge of resources and methods regarding smoking cessation were measured.A total of 848 of 1500 hospital staff returned the questionnaire: 249 physicians (29.4%), 402 nursing staff (47.4%), and 197 administration staff (23.2%). 790 (93.2%) staff members have never smoked, 19 (2.2%) had quit smoking, and 39 (4.6%) still smoke. 792 (93.4%) members had interest in receiving smoking cessation education. The mean total score (highest potential score of 6) of basic cigarette harm knowledge was 4.56 (± 1.25). The mean total score (highest potential score of 7) of resources and methods about smoking cessation was 4.79 (± 1.35). The significant variable correlated with willingness to refer was total score of resources and methods about smoking cessation.Hospital staff who knew more about resources and methods about smoking cessation were more willing to refer smoking patients to the smoking cessation service. Thus, continuing medical education for hospital staff should include resources and methods about smoking cessation to promote smoking cessation.