PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Study examines prevalence of smoking among health care professionals

2014-01-08
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Laura Perry
Lperry@sonnet.ucla.edu
818-212-6226
The JAMA Network Journals
Study examines prevalence of smoking among health care professionals A survey of health care professionals finds that in 2010-2011, current smoking among this group, except for licensed practical nurses, was lower than the general population, and that the majority had never smoked, according to a study in the January 8 issue of JAMA.

Smoking by health care professionals is a barrier to tobacco interventions with patients. From 2003 to 2006-2007, smoking prevalences among health care professionals demonstrated no significant declines, according to background information in the article.

Linda Sarna, Ph.D., R.N., of the University of California, Los Angeles, and colleagues conducted a study to assess changes in smoking status among health care professionals. The researchers obtained publicly available data from self-respondents to the Tobacco Use Supplement to the Current Population Survey to compare smoking prevalences among health care professionals from 2003 to 2010-2011. Occupations included physicians, registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, pharmacists, respiratory therapists and dental hygienists. Smoking status was defined as never smokers, former smokers, and current smokers.

The 2010-2011 survey data from 2,975 health care professionals indicated that approximately 8 percent were current smokers, ranging from 2 percent among physicians to 25 percent among licensed practical nurses (the rate of current smoking among the general population is 16 percent). There was a decline in prevalence of current smoking among these health care professionals from 2003 to 2010-2011, but the only group with a significant decline in prevalence of current smoking from 2006-2007 to 2010-2011 and from 2003 to 2010-2011 was registered nurses (from 11 percent to 7 percent; a 36 percent decline).

The only significant changes in proportions of those who quit by profession from 2006-2007 to 2010-2011 were among registered nurses (a 13 percent increase), and among licensed practical nurses (a 30 percent decrease).

"Recent declines in smoking among health care professionals may reflect the impact of national tobacco control policies and efforts focused on reducing smoking among registered nurses. After little change in prevalence from 2003 to 2006-2007, the drop in smoking among registered nurses was more than twice that of the 13 percent decrease in the population, and the proportion who have quit was higher than the general population estimate (53.62 percent). Continued smoking and diminished quitting among licensed practical nurses remains a serious concern," the authors write. ###(doi:10.1001/jama.2013.284871; Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com)

Editor's Note: This study was funded in part by a University of California, Los Angeles School of Nursing endowment to the lead author. The authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Dr. Sarna reports consulting for the International Society for Nurses in Cancer Care and receiving grant funding from Pfizer Independent Grants for Learning and Change. No other disclosures were reported.


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Unique protein interaction may drive most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease

2014-01-08
Unique protein interaction may drive most common genetic cause of Parkinson's disease Gladstone findings challenge conventional wisdom; point to new therapeutic strategies San Francisco, CA—January 7, 2013—The most devastating aspect of Parkinson's disease ...

Survival protein a potential new target for many cancers

2014-01-08
Survival protein a potential new target for many cancers Walter and Eliza Hall Institute researchers have discovered a promising strategy for treating cancers that are caused by one of the most common cancer-causing changes in cells. The discovery offers ...

Fit teenagers are less likely to have heart attacks in later life

2014-01-08
Fit teenagers are less likely to have heart attacks in later life Researchers in Sweden have found an association between a person's fitness as a teenager and their risk of heart attack in later life. In a study of nearly 750,000 men, they found that the more aerobically ...

Fight or flight and the evolution of pain

2014-01-08
Fight or flight and the evolution of pain Recent highlights in Molecular Biology and Evolution Hard wired into the survival mechanisms of all animals is the perception of pain. Different stimuli, such as heat or cold, foul odors, ...

Mega-landslide in giant Utah copper mine may have triggered earthquakes

2014-01-08
Mega-landslide in giant Utah copper mine may have triggered earthquakes January 2014 GSA Today science article Boulder, Colorado, USA – Landslides are one of the most hazardous aspects of our planet, causing billions of dollars in damage and thousands of deaths each year. ...

Of lice and men (and chimps): Study tracks pace of molecular evolution

2014-01-08
Of lice and men (and chimps): Study tracks pace of molecular evolution CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study compares the relative rate of molecular evolution between humans and chimps with that of their lice. The researchers wanted to know whether evolution ...

Is multitasking mastery in the genes?

2014-01-08
Is multitasking mastery in the genes? Human factors/ergonomics researchers have long studied the connection between cognitive function and the ability to perform well on multiple simultaneous tasks, and recently a group of neuroergonomics researchers went a ...

Childhood fractures may indicate bone-density problems

2014-01-08
Childhood fractures may indicate bone-density problems ROCHESTER, Minn. — Broken bones may seem like a normal part of an active childhood. About 1 in 3 otherwise healthy children suffers a bone fracture. Breakage of the bone running from the elbow to the thumb side of the ...

Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy

2014-01-08
Combined therapy benefits cigarette smokers trying to quit compared to monotherapy ROCHESTER, Minn. — Jan. 7, 2014 — Among cigarette smokers, combining the smoking cessation medications varenicline and bupropion, compared with varenicline alone, resulted in higher smoking ...

New diagnostic and therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma

2014-01-08
New diagnostic and therapeutic techniques show potential for patients with metastasized melanoma Reston, Va. (January 7, 2014) – With low survival rates for patients with metastasized melanoma, accurate staging and effective treatments are critical to extending ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Fat may play an important role in brain metabolism

New study finds no lasting impact of pandemic pet ownership on human well-being

New insights on genetic damage of some chemotherapies could guide future treatments with less harmful side effects

Gut microbes could protect us from toxic ‘forever chemicals’

Novel modelling links sea ice loss to Antarctic ice shelf calving events

Scientists can tell how fast you're aging from a single brain scan

U.S. uterine cancer incidence and mortality rates expected to significantly increase by 2050

Public take the lead in discovery of new exploding star

What are they vaping? Study reveals alarming surge in adolescent vaping of THC, CBD, and synthetic cannabinoids

ECMWF - delivering forecasts over 10 times faster and cutting energy usage by 1000

Brazilian neuroscientist reveals how viral infections transform the brain through microscopic detective work

Turning social fragmentation into action through discovering relatedness

Cheese may really be giving you nightmares, scientists find

Study reveals most common medical emergencies in schools

Breathable yet protective: Next-gen medical textiles with micro/nano networks

Frequency-engineered MXene supercapacitors enable efficient pulse charging in TENG–SC hybrid systems

Developed an AI-based classification system for facial pigmented lesions

Achieving 20% efficiency in halogen-free organic solar cells via isomeric additive-mediated sequential processing

New book Terraglossia reclaims language, Country and culture

The most effective diabetes drugs don't reach enough patients yet

Breast cancer risk in younger women may be influenced by hormone therapy

Strategies for staying smoke-free after rehab

Commentary questions the potential benefit of levothyroxine treatment of mild hypothyroidism during pregnancy

Study projects over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030 if USAID defunding continues

New study reveals 33% gap in transplant access for UK’s poorest children

Dysregulated epigenetic memory in early embryos offers new clues to the inheritance of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)

IVF and IUI pregnancy rates remain stable across Europe, despite an increasing uptake of single embryo transfer

It takes a village: Chimpanzee babies do better when their moms have social connections

From lab to market: how renewable polymers could transform medicine

Striking increase in obesity observed among youth between 2011 and 2023

[Press-News.org] Study examines prevalence of smoking among health care professionals