Individual and contextual factors related to family practice residents' assessment and counseling for tobacco cessation

Background: Tobacco use is the chief avoidable cause of death in the United States. Physicians, however, are not routinely assessing this risk and providing counseling for risk reduction. This study examines tobacco cessation counseling practices among family practice residents and explores the determinants of residents' smoking-counseling behaviors and counseling duration. Methods: One hundred ten family practice residents (response rate = 93.2%) from four Texas residency training programs completed a survey designed to assess tobacco cessation counseling practices. Results: A high proportion of residents reported that they usually or always assessed tobacco use (59.3%) and advised their patients to quit smoking (80.9%), with a lower proportion reporting specific counseling behaviors (7.3% - 21.9%), referrals (1.8%), or follow-up visits (1.8%). Year of residency, perceived effectiveness, and the interaction between perceived effectiveness and residency year were significantly associated with number of counseling behaviors, and year of residency and perceived effectiveness were significantly associated with counseling duration. Conclusions: Faculty physicians should assist residents to implement the Public Health Service-sponsored clinical practice guideline for tobacco control. There is a need to increase behavioral skills and perceived effectiveness for assessing and counseling smokers among first-year residents.