Author/Authors :
ocak, metin gazi state hospital - department of emergency medicine, Samsun, Turkey , unal, mustafa ondokuz mayis university - school of medicine - department of family medicine, Samsun, Turkey , ozturk, onur samsun education and research hospital - department of family medicine, Samsun, Turkey , vural, abdussamed giresun university - prof. dr. a. ilhan ozdemir education and research hospital - department of emergency medicine, Giresun, Turkey , ayraler, arzu giresun university - prof. dr. a. ilhan ozdemir education and research hospital - department of family medicine, Giresun, Turkey , oruc, muhammed ali ahi evran university - school of medicine - department of family medicine, Kirsehir, Turkey , selcuk, mustafa yasin ondokuz mayis university - school of medicine - department of family medicine, Samsun, Turkey , ozturk, gulsah samsun provincial health directorate - gokberk family healthcare center, Samsun, Turkey , fidanci, izzet hacettepe university - school of medicine - department of family medicine, Ankara, Turkey , goktepe, muhammed emin samsun education and research hospital - department of family medicine, Samsun, Turkey
Abstract :
Background: Emergency rooms (ERs) are usually crowded with friends and relatives (F Rs) of the patients. This experience may result in changes in smoking behaviors and create opportunities for smoking cessation interventions. The study aims to investigate these changes and offers a new frontier in the fight against smoking. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the ERs of two universities in different cities. A questionnaire consisting of 18 questions was applied to F Rs of the emergency patients. Statistical analysis was performed using Jamovi program. Findings: A total of 603 respondents were included in the study. Of them, 71.3% were first-degree relatives, 51.7% waited 5 or more times in ER before, and 68.6% spent 0-2 hours in a day around the ER. Upon witnessing patients in the ERs, 53.4% of the F Rs had the idea of quitting smoking and 42.9% wanted to have smoking cessation therapy during their wait in the hospital. While 76.1% of the participants were not using different brands of cigarettes when offered in normal life, this rate was lower around the ERs (64.6%) (P 0.001). Participants smoked 0.82 ± 0.34 cigarette per hour in normal life excluding sleeping time; this number raised almost 6 folds during the wait (4.85 ± 2.11) (P 0.001). Conclusion: F Rs smoked more during waiting around ERs. However, they also expressed desire to quit smoking and receive smoking cessation intervention during the wait. Providing smoking cessation counseling to F Rs in the ER may be a valuable intervention.
