Consumo de tabaco y uso del consejo

Consumo de tabaco y uso del consejo

médico estructurado como estrategia

preventiva del tabaquismo en médicos

chilenos

M. VIRGINIA ARAYA A.1, FRANCISCO LEAL S.2,a,

PATRICIO HUERTA G.2,b, NORA FERNÁNDEZ A.1,c,

GONZALO FERNÁNDEZ O.2,d, JUAN P. MILLONES E.2,d

The infl uence of smoking habits of Chilean

physicians on the use of the structured medical

advice about smoking

Background: Structured medical advice on smoking is the prevention strategy

with better cost-effectiveness ratio. Aim: To evaluate smoking among health care

providers affect the application of this preventive strategy. Material and Methods:

We surveyed 235 physicians working in public and private hospitals in different cities

over the country, about their smoking habits, their views on smoking as cardiovascular

risk factor and the implementation of three key points of the structured medical advice

about smoking. Results: Physicians aged less than 44 years had the lower frequency

of smoking and the higher frequency of ex-smokers concentrated among those aged

60 years or more. All surveyed physicians agreed that smoking is a cardiovascular

risk factor. However, 21% considered that this risk appears only among those that

smoke more than three cigarettes per day. Independent of their smoking habits, 18%

of physicians not always ask their patients about smoking, 25% do not warn about

the risk of smoking and 22% not always give advice about quitting. This last action

is carried out with a signifi cantly lower frequency by smoking physicians. Conclusions:

To improve physician’s compliance with their preventive role in clinical practice,

it is essential to consider their own smoking habits, and the information and attitudes

that they have towards smoking as a cardiovascular risk factor.

(Rev Med Chile 2012; 140: 347-352).

Key words: Physicians; Questionnaires; Smoking; Tobacco.

1Sociedad Chilena de

Cardiología, Departamento

de Prevención. Santiago,

Chile.

2Universidad de Tarapacá.

Iquique, Chile.

aPsicólogo.

bMagíster en Salud Pública.

cEnfermera Universitaria.

dEstudiante de Psicología.

Recibido el 23 de junio de

2011, aceptado el 28 de

noviembre de 2011.

Correspondencia a:

Francisco Leal Soto

Universidad de Tarapacá,

Avda. Luis Emilio

Recabarren 2477, Iquique,

Chile.

Fono: 56-57-425775

Fax: 56-57-484148

Celular: 09-87568719.

E-mail: fleal@uta.cl

El tabaco produce el deceso de casi seis millones

de personas anualmente, incluyendo

más de medio millón de no fumadoras, y

es directamente responsable de 10% de muertes

de adultos a nivel mundial1. El consumo de

tabaco (CT) se asocia a múltiples consecuencias

perjudiciales para la salud2 y contribuye al 40%

de las muertes cardiovasculares y al 18% de las

cerebrovasculares3. Según el estudio Framingham4,

los fumadores tienen mayor mortalidad cardiovascular

que los no fumadores y mayor riesgo

de sufrir eventos cardiovasculares, como infarto

al miocardio y muerte súbita, además de mayor

incidencia de hipertensión arterial5.

El tabaquismo resulta de la acción crónica del

CT, incluyendo dependencia física y psicológica6.

Según la Organización Mundial de la Salud, fumador

es una persona que ha consumido diariamente

durante el último mes cualquier cantidad

de cigarrillos, incluso uno. En la práctica habitual,

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