General practitioners' knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and practices surrounding the prescription of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation: a mixed-methods systematic review.

BACKGROUND: General practitioners (GPs) play an important role in providing patients who smoke with health information, support and treatment to encourage them to quit smoking. Despite conflicting evidence on the effectiveness of electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) as a smoking cessation aid, there is growing interest in the role e-cigarettes might play as an alternative to smoking tobacco. This systematic review aims to synthesise evidence from qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies of the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and social norms of GPs with respect to the use of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids. METHODS: This study adhered to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies from MEDLINE, CINAHL, SCOPUS, PsycINFO, EMBASE and grey literature were searched. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and full-text articles to identify studies that met the inclusion criteria. A data extraction form was used to extract relevant data from included papers and were quality appraised using the MMAT checklist. A PRISMA flow diagram was used to record the flow of papers and reasons for exclusion. Studies were included if they collected quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods data to determine knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and social norms of GPs for use of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids. RESULTS: A total of 4056 abstracts were screened and 25 articles were included. Our findings showed that GPs had mixed views on recommending e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid. Some GPs were optimistic and had recommended e-cigarettes to their patients. Others were reluctant and disagreed that e-cigarettes are an effective method to quit smoking. Most GPs lacked knowledge and confidence in having discussions with patients around e-cigarette safety and efficacy as smoking cessation alternatives. CONCLUSION: This systematic review shows there are mixed views on e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids. Clear guidance on the role of e-cigarettes is needed to inform and upskill GPs about e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42021227612.

Healthcare experiences of adults with COPD across community care settings: a meta-ethnography.

Background: Studies investigating lived experiences of patients with COPD raise important concerns about interactions with healthcare professionals. Patients often describe feelings of guilt and shame associated with their COPD and may experience stigma and poor patient experience of care. The aims and objectives of the present study were to systematically scope and synthesise findings from peer-reviewed qualitative studies describing healthcare experiences of patients living with COPD across community care settings. Methods: A meta-ethnography was undertaken. Database searches were performed in Ovid MEDLINE, PsychINFO, Ovid Emcare, CINAHL Plus and Sociological Abstracts. Eligible qualitative studies were included. Study screening and data extraction was performed by two independent reviewers. A "line-of-argument" synthesis and deductive and inductive analysis was used to identify key themes, where the deductive element aligned to Wong and Haggerty's six key dimensions of patient experiences. Results: Data from 23 studies were included. Experiences and their meaning to patients were explored within the context of six domains of patient experience including access, interpersonal communication, continuity and coordination, comprehensiveness and trust. Inductive coding revealed emotion, stigma, identity and vulnerability shaped healthcare experiences of adults with COPD. Implications: Experiences often fell short of what was expected and needed in community settings. Adopting strategies to improve experiences of care in the community can be expected to improve self-management and contribute to improved health outcomes and quality of life. These strategies should take account of vulnerability, stigma and emotions such as guilt and blame that are potent affective drivers of the experience of care for patients with COPD.

GP knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices surrounding the prescription of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation: a protocol for a mixed-method systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are being marketed to people who smoke (PWS) as a smoking cessation aid. GPs have an important role in providing patients with support to encourage them to quit smoking. The emergence and marketing of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation alternative poses challenges to GPs in advising and supporting PWS to quit. AIM: This systematic review aims to synthesise available evidence on the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of GPs about e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid. DESIGN & SETTING: Mixed-methods study review including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies of GPs in primary care settings. METHOD: MEDLINE, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Scopus, PsycINFO, and Embase databases will be searched to identify articles published between 1 January 2003 and 30 June 2021. A Google search will be conducted to identify grey literature. Two independent reviewers will screen abstracts for relevance and full-text studies. Articles will be appraised for quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) and a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews, and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) diagram will illustrate the flow of articles and reasons for exclusion. An evidence synthesis method will be employed and guided by the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A descriptive qualitative synthesis of the findings will be reported. CONCLUSION: Findings will provide a synthesis of current evidence regarding the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions among GPs of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid. This information will be useful to guide future research on the needs of GPs in advising and supporting patients to quit smoking. It will also assist in the development of health policy and guidelines on the role and place of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid.