<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<bold>Background and objective</bold>: Providing brief advice to stop smoking (BASS) can significantly increase motivation to quit, long-term smoking cessation rates, and substantially impact public health. The study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of community pharmacy staff in Mures County, Romania, to provide BASS to smokers.
<bold>Methods</bold>: The observational, cross-sectional study included a sample of 96 professionals working in community pharmacies in Mures County, Romania. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated.
<bold>Results</bold>: Generally, more than 90% of the respondents acknowledged that smoking is addictive, represents a health hazard, and increases the risk of lung and laryngeal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attack, and stroke. Up to 70% of the respondents recognized the most common scientifically proven quit medications, such as nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline. Most pharmacists agreed that they should regularly ask the patients about their smoking status and encourage smokers to quit. They also declared they should receive continual education regarding quit services, medications, and techniques. BASS was credited with very high efficacy by 17.1%, high efficacy by 26.8%, and moderate efficacy by 46.3% of the respondents. The most common perceived barriers to providing BASS in community pharmacies were lack of demand from smokers (78.0%), lack of time (73.2%), and lack of educational materials (39.0%). About 70% of the pharmacists received no formal training regarding quit services, but more than 75% were interested in earning such a qualification. About 65% of the respondents estimated they could dedicate 10-15 minutes of their daily working time to provide BASS to interested customers.
<bold>Conclusions</bold>: Overall, the study found an acceptable level of knowledge and willingness of the participants in offering BASS, suggesting that a program to provide BASS in Mures County community pharmacies may be feasible and useful.
</abstract>

Background and objective: Providing brief advice to stop smoking (BASS) can significantly increase motivation to quit, long-term smoking cessation rates, and substantially impact public health. The study aimed to evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of community pharmacy staff in Mures County, Romania, to provide BASS to smokers.
Methods: The observational, cross-sectional study included a sample of 96 professionals working in community pharmacies in Mures County, Romania. Data were collected using an online questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated.
Results: Generally, more than 90% of the respondents acknowledged that smoking is addictive, represents a health hazard, and increases the risk of lung and laryngeal cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart attack, and stroke. Up to 70% of the respondents recognized the most common scientifically proven quit medications, such as nicotine replacement therapy, bupropion, and varenicline. Most pharmacists agreed that they should regularly ask the patients about their smoking status and encourage smokers to quit. They also declared they should receive continual education regarding quit services, medications, and techniques. BASS was credited with very high efficacy by 17.1%, high efficacy by 26.8%, and moderate efficacy by 46.3% of the respondents. The most common perceived barriers to providing BASS in community pharmacies were lack of demand from smokers (78.0%), lack of time (73.2%), and lack of educational materials (39.0%). About 70% of the pharmacists received no formal training regarding quit services, but more than 75% were interested in earning such a qualification. About 65% of the respondents estimated they could dedicate 10-15 minutes of their daily working time to provide BASS to interested customers.
Conclusions: Overall, the study found an acceptable level of knowledge and willingness of the participants in offering BASS, suggesting that a program to provide BASS in Mures County community pharmacies may be feasible and useful.

Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of community pharmacy staff in Mures County, Romania, to provide the brief advice to stop smoking: A cross-sectional study

George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science, and Technology of Targu Mures

Acta Marisiensis - Seria Medica

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Background and objective: Providing brief advice to stop smoking (BASS) can significantly increase motivation to quit, long-term smoking cessation rates, and...

Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of community pharmacy staff in Mures County, Romania, to provide the brief advice to stop smoking: A cross-sectional study

Published Online: Sep 28, 2023

Page range: 201 - 207

Received: Jul 14, 2023

Accepted: Aug 09, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2023-0030

Keywords
brief advice to stop smoking, community pharmacy, knowledge about smoking, smoking cessation aids, barriers to implementation

© 2023 Ingrid Nădășan et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Knowledge, attitudes, and willingness of community pharmacy staff in Mures County, Romania, to provide the brief advice to stop smoking: A cross-sectional study

Published Online: Sep 28, 2023

Page range: 201 - 207

Received: Jul 14, 2023

Accepted: Aug 09, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/amma-2023-0030

Keywordsbrief advice to stop smoking, community pharmacy, knowledge about smoking, smoking cessation aids, barriers to implementation

© 2023 Ingrid Nădășan et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
brief advice to stop smoking, community pharmacy, knowledge about smoking, smoking cessation aids, barriers to implementation