Class of 2007 Abstract / Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the demographics and attitudes of Arizona pharmacists regarding provision of smoking cessation services. Methods: Paper-based surveys were distributed to pharmacists attending the 2006 Arizona Pharmacy Alliance (AzPA) Annual Meeting in Tucson, Arizona. The instrument allowed collection of 12 demographic points from subjects for data cross-sectioning. Opinions of the pharmacists were collected for 35 statements of agreement level on a four-point Likert-type response scale. Association between the demographic and opinion variables was analyzed using either Kruskal-Wallis’ rank-sum or Spearman's correlation tests. Results: Of 350 surveys distributed, 78 subjects returned them and 63 (18%) met inclusion criteria. Respondents agreed to all barriers of smoking cessation, particularly lacks in time (82.5%), patient demand (79.7%), smoking cessation program availability (68%), and documentation system (56.6%). Participants’ demographics including age, gender, practice setting and position, time since completion of education, specific smoking cessation education received, time spent counseling a patient, and number of general and smoking cessation counsels were significantly associated with pharmacists’ perceived demand and resource barriers to provision of smoking cessation services, faith in a patient’s ability to quit or try, self-perception as a valuable and effective resource, comfort level approaching patients regarding smoking cessation, likelihood of intervention, and feelings of reward (all p-values < 0.05). Conclusions: This study identified several associations between pharmacists’ demographics and their thoughts towards provision of smoking cessation services, though causation is undetermined.

Smoking cessation can reduce health risk and prevent millions of tobacco-related deaths. However, cessation rates are low in low-and-middle income countries (LMICs), with only a small proportion of smokers intending to quit. Given the paucity of literature to support tobacco cessation programs in LMICs, this study aimed to: 1) identify factors associated with intention to quit smoking, 2) assess the relationship between health care provider quit advice/tobacco screening and utilization of cessation assistance, and 3) examine the relationship between home smoking rule and smoking intensity across three stages of smoking cessation (precontemplation, contemplation and preparation) in LMICs. Data were obtained from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2009-2012, a nationally representative household survey of noninstitutionalized civilians aged 15 years and older. Weighted multivariable regression analyses were conducted using SAS version 9.4. Adjusted odds ratios (OR), percent change in smoking intensity and associated 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated. Home smoking rule and exposure to anti-smoking messages were the important factors associated with contemplation and preparation to quit smoking. Approximately 1%, 7%, 9% and 15% used quitline, medical treatment, counseling/cessation clinic and cessation assistance (all three combined), respectively, in the past year. Quit advice was significantly associated with utilization of counseling/cessation clinic (OR=3.89, 95% CI=2.8–5.5), medical treatment (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.2–2.4) and cessation assistance (OR=2.60, 95% CI=2.0–3.4). Tobacco screening was associated with utilization of counseling/cessation clinic (OR=2.60, 95% CI=1.1–5.9) and medical treatment (OR=1.71, 95% CI=1.2–2.4). Living in a completely smoke-free home was associated with a 22.5% (95% CI=17.1%–28.0%), an 18.6% (95% CI=9.0%–28.2%), and a 19.4% (95% CI=3.9%–34.9%) significant reduction in smoking intensity among smokers in precontemplation, contemplation and preparation, respectively. In conclusion, the results suggest that smoke-free home, anti-smoking campaigns, and health care provider intervention promote smoking cessation in LMICs. Therefore, comprehensive smoke-free policies, anti-smoking media campaigns and integration of tobacco screening and quit advice into the health care system are important for tobacco cessation in LMICs, suggesting the need for full implementation of the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control Articles 8 and 11 – 13.