Tobacco training and educating primary care professionals in bahrain

Abstract EN

Tobacco use has been well identified as the primary preventable cause of premature deaths and disability, yet results from previous surveys shows that educational curriculum of health professionals don’t address this topic adequately.

Objectives : to assess primary care professionals knowledge, perception and attitude related to selected tobacco use and effect items.

Method : responses to self administered questionnaire by primary care professionals.

Results : Hundred fifty primary care professionals participated in the study, 24.7 % of them are current smokers and 10 % ex-smokers.

Inadequacy in tobacco education curriculum was noted.

In particular for nature of tobacco use addiction and management of tobacco dependence.

Only 12 % of local graduate and 16 % of overseas graduate professionals had received formal training on smoking cessation interventions.