Knowledge and awareness of nicotine, nicotine replacement therapy, and electronic cigarettes among general practitioners with a special interest in respiratory medicine in China

Abstract

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the knowledge and awareness of nicotine, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), and electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) among general practitioners with a special interest (GPwSIs) in respiratory medicine.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2021 to February 2022. Knowledge and awareness were compared among smokers and non-smokers, as well as different age and gender groups.ResultsThe study consisted of 102 GPwSIs from 21 cities in Sichuan Province, China. Most respondents would recommend NRT for long-term use. Only a few believed that e-cigarettes are an effective means of smoking cessation and 71.6% would not recommend e-cigarettes as a substitute for cigarettes to their patients. Additionally, the majority did not regularly provide extensive help to assist patients in quitting smoking and needed smoking cessation counseling training.ConclusionGPwSIs in respiratory medicine in China could have a relatively low level of knowledge and awareness regarding nicotine, NRT, and e-cigarettes. The study highlights the need for smoking cessation training among GPwSIs to improve their knowledge and provide better assistance to patients who want to quit smoking.