Italian respiratory Physicians and tobacco dependence treatment: Results of a survey

Several scientific evidences underline the importance of tobacco treatment in preventing and to treating smoking related diseases and in reducing mortality due to tobacco smoking. According to European Respiratory Society recommendations, tobacco treatment in patients with respiratory diseases is a high priority and an integral component of the therapy. By the analysis of 221 questionnaires filled by Italian respiratory physicians in december 2007 during the XXXIX Congresso Nazionale AIPO - VIII Congresso UIP, we suggest that tobacco treatment is not a routine activity for Italian respiratory physicians. Intensive treatment (counselling > 10 minutes and pharmacological treatment) recommended by guidelines is scarcely widespread. Diagnosis of tobacco dependence is rarely supported by easily applicable instruments like Fagerström Test and exhaled carbon monoxide measurement; the diagnosis of tobacco dependence is seldom registered on hospital discharge. Antismoking Centers are actually scarcely diffused in Chest Clinics, but 41% of respiratory physicians that actually have not an Antismoking Center inside their hospital believe that it should be useful and hope it possible to activate it with adequate support.