Social disparities in children's exposure to secondhand smoke in privately owned vehicles.

INTRODUCTION: Secondhand smoke (SHS) can quickly attain high concentrations in cars, posing health risks to passengers and especially to children. This paper assesses whether there are social disparities in children's exposure to SHS in privately owned vehicles. METHODS: On weekday mornings and afternoons from September to November 2011, trained observers were stationed at 100 selected street intersections in Montreal, Canada. For each car transporting at least one passenger aged 0-15 years travelling through the intersection, observers recorded the estimated age of the youngest child in the car, whether any occupant was smoking and the licence plate number of the car. Licence plate numbers were linked to an area material deprivation index based on the postal code of the neighbourhood in which the car was registered. RESULTS: Smoking was observed in 0.7% of 20 922 cars transporting children. There was an apparent dose-response in the association between area material deprivation level and children's exposure to SHS in cars. Children travelling in cars registered in the most disadvantaged areas of Montreal were more likely to be exposed to SHS than children travelling in cars registered in the most advantaged areas (unadjusted OR=3.46, 95% CI 1.99 to 6.01). CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed social disparities in children's exposure to SHS in privately owned vehicles.

Dramatic reduction in hepatitis B through school-based immunization without a routine infant program in a low endemicity region.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis B (HB) prevention in the low-endemicity province of Quebec Canada, (population: ~8.2 million; birth cohort ~85,000/year), includes two decades of pre-adolescent school-based immunization, as well as catch-up immunization for those born since 1983 and pre-natal maternal HBsAg screening. To estimate the potential added benefit of routine infant HB immunization, notifiable disease reports were analyzed (1990-2013). Clinical and demographic information about cases was retrieved from standard questionnaires used by local public health units to investigate HB cases. METHODS: The Quebec provincial registry of notifiable diseases was used to identify confirmed HB cases reported between 1990 and 2013. Clinical and demographic information on cases was retrieved from the standard questionnaires used by local public health units to investigate reported HB cases. RESULTS: Between 1990-2013, acute-HB incidence per 100,000 population decreased by 97 % from 6.5 to 0.2. Compared to 1990, incidence fell from 0.6 to zero since 2010 among children ≤9 years of age (yoa), from 3.2 to zero since 2007 in those 10-19 yoa, and from 15 to zero in 2013 among adults 20-29 yoa, previously the age group of highest incidence (all p < 0.0001). During the same period, the newly-reported chronic HB rate per 100,000 decreased by 66 % from 17.7 to 6.1 (p < 0.0001), with a reduction of 92 % (2.4 to 0.2;p < 0.001) in children ≤9 yoa and 83 % (7.2 to 1.2;p = 0.003) in those 10-19 yoa. The incidence of unspecified HB cases did not decrease significantly overall (5.9 vs. 5.4; p = 0.24), in children ≤ 9 yoa (0.3 vs. 0.2;p = 0.70) or 10-19 yoa (1.6 vs. 1.5;p = 0.45). Overall, 91 % of cases ≤19 yoa were immigrants likely infected before arrival in Canada. Among those ≤9 yoa, there were 9 acute-HB case reports between 2005 and 2013, of whom 8 were not preventable by infant immunization. CONCLUSIONS: Two decades of school-based immunization coupled with prenatal screening achieved striking reduction in disease burden in the low-endemicity province of Quebec, Canada. The oldest cohorts targeted by catch-up campaigns are now beyond the average age at childbirth so that neo-natal transmission and the potential incremental benefit of infant immunization will likely further diminish.

Home smoking bans may increase the risk of smoking onset in children when both parents smoke.

INTRODUCTION: Our objective was to determine if there is effect modification by home smoking bans in the association between parental smoking and cigarette smoking onset in children. METHODS: Data on smoking onset, number of parents who smoke, and home smoking rules were collected from children who had never smoked in self-report questionnaires in grades 5, 7, 9, and 11. The association between number of parents who smoke and smoking onset in children was tested in pooled logistic regression in 2 groups defined by the presence or absence of a complete home smoking ban. RESULTS: In homes without a complete ban and relative to participants with no parents who smoke, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval [OR (95% CI]) for smoking onset was 1.5 (1.1-1.9) when one parent smoked and 1.4 (1.0-2.1) when both parents smoked. In homes with a complete ban, the OR (95% CI) was 1.6 (1.1-2.3) if one parent smoked, but 4.9 (2.4-9.9) if both parents smoked. CONCLUSION: The association between number of parents who smoke and smoking onset in children was modified by the presence of a complete home smoking ban. In homes with a complete smoking ban in which both parents smoke, it may be prudent those parents communicate clearly with their children about their reasons for implementing the ban as well as about their reasons for continuing to smoke.

Pharmacists' smoking cessation counseling practices: a comparison between 2005 and 2010.

INTRODUCTION: To determine if smoking cessation counseling practices and related psychosocial characteristics improved among pharmacists between 2005 and 2010. METHODS: Data were collected in 2005 and 2010 from randomly selected pharmacists in Québec, Canada. Participants completed mailed self-report questionnaires on cessation counseling practices and psychosocial characteristics (i.e., belief that counseling is the role of pharmacists, self-efficacy, barriers, and knowledge of community resources). The association between each of year and training (either during or after undergraduate studies) and each outcome was investigated in each sex separately with multiple linear regression models using pooled data across 2005 and 2010. RESULTS: Among female pharmacists, cessation counseling for patients ready to quit improved over time. Training during and after undergraduate studies was significantly associated with higher self-efficacy, better knowledge of community resources, and improved counseling for patients ready and not ready to quit. Also, training after studies was significantly associated with more advantageous beliefs about counseling. Among male pharmacists, knowledge of community resources and perceived barriers to counseling improved over time, but there were no significant differences in cessation counseling. Training during and after undergraduate studies was significantly associated with higher self-efficacy. Training during undergraduate studies was also associated with higher counseling score in patients ready to quit, and training after studies was associated with better knowledge of community resources. CONCLUSION: Smoking cessation counseling for patients ready to quit improved from 2005 to 2010 among female pharmacists but not among male pharmacists. Training is generally associated with improved counseling and improved cessation-related psychosocial characteristics.

Effect of anti-smoking legislation on school staff smoking may dissipate over time.

This study describes student perceptions of school staff smoking before and after implementation of legislation prohibiting smoking on school grounds. Students completed self-report questionnaires before (grade 6) and after (grade 7, 9 and 11) the law. The percentage of students reporting that school staff smoked in areas where smoking is forbidden was 19%, 32% and 33% in grade 7, 9 and 11, respectively. The mean(SD) score for the frequency with which students saw school staff smoking decreased after the ban but increased thereafter [2.5(1.1), 1.9(1.0), 2.4(1.1) and 2.3(1.1)] in grade 6, 7, 9 and 11, respectively [F(2.861,1662.229) = 45.350, P < 0.001]. These data suggest that the effect of the law dissipated over time.

Does level of tobacco control relate to smoking prevalence in Canada: a national survey of public health organizations.

OBJECTIVES: To describe levels of tobacco control "effort" in public health organizations across provinces, and to test the hypothesis that "effort" is associated with the prevalence of daily smoking. METHODS: Data were drawn from a national survey (Oct 2004-Apr 2005) of all public health organizations engaged in chronic disease prevention in Canada in 2004. We investigated the association between "effort" and decline in smoking prevalence (CTUMS, 1999-2009) across provinces in an ecologic study design. "Effort" was assessed using two indicators: percent of public health organizations engaged in tobacco control, and mean level of involvement in engaged organizations. RESULTS: Of 216 organizations, 88% had undertaken tobacco control activities in the three years prior to data collection and were categorized as "engaged". Level of involvement in tobacco control was highest in community-at-large settings; and it was generally higher for population- than for individual-level strategies. Nova Scotia reported higher levels of involvement than other provinces. There was substantial variability in "effort" across provinces. High-"effort" provinces (BC, NS, ON, QC) experienced, on average, improvement in the "change in smoking prevalence" score (1999 to 2009). CONCLUSION: The findings provide evidence that provincial tobacco control "effort" relates to declines in smoking prevalence. Given that smoking remains a critical public health issue, the kinds of data reported herein are needed to inform the debate on how best to invest in tobacco control infrastructure to combat the most important public health threat of our times.

Physician smoking status may influence cessation counseling practices.

OBJECTIVE: Smoking cessation counseling practices may differ between physicians who smoke and those who have quit or never smoked. METHOD: Of 917 general practitioners (GP) in Montreal mailed self-report questionnaires in 2000 and 2004, 610 provided data on their smoking status and counseling practices. RESULTS: Seven percent were current smokers, 32% were former smokers, and 61% were never-smokers. Current smokers were more interested than never- or former smokers in learning about counseling methods (64%, 56%, 45%, respectively; p = 0.018). In multivariable analyses, current smokers were less likely than never-smokers to ascertain the smoking status of their patients (OR 0.6, 95% CI 0.2-1.6); to provide advice on how to quit (OR 0.6, 0.3-1.3); and to provide complete cessation counseling coverage (OR 0.5, 0.2-1.1). Former smokers were more likely to provide adjunct support (OR 1.5, 1.0-2.4). CONCLUSION: GP smoking status was associated with the content of their cessation interventions with patients who smoke. Taking physician smoking status into consideration in the design of cessation training programs may improve cessation counseling interventions.

Behavioural interventions for smoking cessation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

AIMS: Widely varying estimates of treatment effects have been reported in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating the efficacy of behavioural interventions for smoking cessation. Previous meta-analyses investigating behavioural interventions have important limitations and do not include recently published RCTs. We undertook a meta-analysis of RCTs to synthesize the treatment effects of four behavioural interventions, including minimal clinical intervention (brief advice from a healthcare worker), and intensive interventions, including individual, group, and telephone counselling. METHODS AND RESULTS: We searched the CDC Tobacco Information and Prevention, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Medline, and PsycINFO databases. We included only RCTs that reported biochemically validated smoking cessation outcomes at 6 and/or 12 months after the target quit date. Outcomes were aggregated using hierarchical Bayesian random-effects models. We identified 50 RCTs, which randomized n = 26 927 patients (minimal clinical intervention: 9 RCTs, n = 6456; individual counselling: 23 RCTs, n = 8646; group counselling: 12 RCTs, n = 3600; telephone counselling: 10 RCTs, n = 8225). The estimated mean treatment effects were minimal clinical intervention [odds ratio (OR) 1.50, 95% credible interval (CrI) 0.84-2.78], individual counselling (OR 1.49, 95% CrI 1.08-2.07), group counselling (OR 1.76, 95% CrI 1.11-2.93), and telephone counselling (OR 1.58, 95% CrI 1.15-2.29). CONCLUSION: Intensive behavioural interventions result in substantial increases in smoking abstinence compared with control. Although minimal clinical intervention may increase smoking abstinence, there is insufficient evidence to draw strong conclusions regarding its efficacy.

Do the correlates of smoking cessation counseling differ across health professional groups?

INTRODUCTION: Smoking cessation counseling by health professionals is an effective approach to increase cessation rates among smokers. To guide the development of training and educational interventions, we surveyed six health professional groups including general practitioners (GPs), pharmacists, dentists, dental hygienists, nurses, and respiratory therapists, in order to describe current practices and identify the correlates of smoking cessation counseling. METHODS: Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to 500 persons randomly selected from the membership lists of active licensed professionals in each health professional group in Québec. RESULTS: Response proportions ranged from 52% (nurses) to 70% (dental hygienists). Compared with other groups, GPs and pharmacists undertook more counseling with patients ready to quit. GPs and respiratory therapists undertook more counseling with patients not ready to quit. Three factors emerged consistently across most groups as positively associated with counseling, including the belief that counseling is the role of health professionals, perceived self-efficacy to engage in effective counseling, and knowledge of community cessation resources. DISCUSSION: The correlates of cessation counseling are similar across health professional groups. Interventions that address beliefs that cessation counseling is the role of health professionals, self-efficacy to provide effective counseling, and knowledge of community resources may result in improved cessation counseling practices among health professionals.

Use and reimbursement costs of smoking cessation medication under the Quebec public drug insurance plan.

OBJECTIVES: Since October 2000, the nicotine patch, nicotine gum and bupropion have been reimbursed under Quebec's public drug insurance plan. The objective of this study is to describe use of these medications between October 2000 and December 2004 by smokers covered by the public plan, as well as the costs of reimbursing these medications. METHODS: Data from the Régie de l'assurance maladie du Québec were used to analyze prescriptions for smoking cessation medication issued to persons insured under the public drug insurance plan. RESULTS: Between October 1, 2000, and December 31, 2004, more than 300,000 Quebeckers covered by the public drug insurance plan were reimbursed for smoking cessation medications. This corresponds to a yearly average of 14% of all smokers insured under the public plan. The proportion of employment assistance recipients who used these medications was higher than the proportion of seniors or "other" insurance plan participants. Nicotine patches were the treatment of choice for most users. A total of $55 million was reimbursed by the public drug insurance plan for the nicotine patch, nicotine gum and bupropion over this four-year period. CONCLUSION: The reimbursement provisions put in place in Quebec in 2000 were successful in reaching financially disadvantaged smokers, at a cost that was comparable with other effective smoking cessation services.

How to adapt existing evidence-based clinical practice guidelines: a case example with smoking cessation guidelines in Canada.

OBJECTIVE: To develop and encourage the adoption of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for smoking cessation in Canada by engaging stakeholders in the adaptation of existing high-quality CPGs using principles of the ADAPTE framework. METHODS: An independent expert body in guideline review conducted a review and identified six existing CPGs, which met a priori criteria for quality and potential applicability to the local context. Summary statements were extracted and assigned a grade of recommendation and level of evidence by a second expert panel. Regional knowledge exchange brokers recruited additional stakeholders to build a multidisciplinary network of over 800 clinicians, researchers and decision-makers from across Canada. This interprofessional network and other stakeholders were offered various opportunities to provide input on the guideline both online and in person. We actively encouraged end-user input into the development and adaptation of the guidelines to ensure applicability to various practice settings and to promote adoption. RESULTS: The final guideline contained 24 summary statements along with supporting clinical considerations, across six topic area sections. The guideline was adopted by various provincial/territorial and national government and non-governmental organisations. CONCLUSIONS: This method can be applied in other jurisdictions to adapt existing high-quality smoking cessation CPGs to the local context and to facilitate subsequent adoption by various stakeholders.

Milestones in the natural course of onset of cigarette use among adolescents.

BACKGROUND: The natural course of onset of cigarette use has been conceptualized as progressing sequentially through 5 stages (preparation, trying, irregular use, regular use, nicotine-dependent smoking). However, recent studies suggest that symptoms of nicotine dependence can occur early in the onset process, raising questions about the validity of this model. The objective of our study was to describe the sequence and timing of 12 milestones (6 related to cigarette use and 6 to symptoms of nicotine dependence) during onset of cigarette use. METHODS: Grade 7 students in 10 secondary schools in Montréal (n = 1293) were followed prospectively every 3-4 months for 5 years. Using Kaplan-Meier analysis, we computed the number of months after first puff at which the cumulative probability of attaining each milestone was 25%, among 311 participants who initiated cigarette use during follow-up. RESULTS: Inhalation rapidly followed first puff. The cumulative probability of inhalation was 25% at 1.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.5-2.5). The cumulative probability (and 95% CI) was 2.5 months (1.5-2.5) for mental addiction, 2.5 (1.0-3.0) for smoking a whole cigarette, 4.5 (2.5-8.8) for cravings, 5.4 (3.8-9.7) for physical addiction, 8.8 (7.0-11.9) for monthly smoking, 11.0 (6.4-16.8) for withdrawal symptoms, 13.0 (10.3-20.5) for tolerance, 19.4 (14.5-31.7) for weekly smoking, 19.5 (14.0-23.9) for lifetime total of 100 cigarettes, 23.1 (19.7-37.6) for daily smoking and 40.6 (35.1-56.0) for conversion to tobacco dependence. INTERPRETATION: Symptoms of nicotine dependence develop soon after first puff and can precede monthly, weekly and daily smoking. Cessation interventions that manage dependence symptoms may be needed soon after first puff.

Frequency and risk factors related to smoking in cars with children present.

OBJECTIVES: Second-hand smoke (SHS) can attain high concentrations in cars. To protect children's health, nine Canadian provinces have enacted legislation prohibiting smoking in privately owned vehicles when children are present; Quebec is the only province with no such legislation. The objective of this study was to estimate the proportion of smokers in Quebec who smoke while travelling in a private vehicle in which children are present, and to compare the characteristics of smokers who do and do not smoke in cars. METHODS: In 2011-12, 754 daily smokers who recently travelled in a car with children completed a telephone survey in which they reported how frequently they smoked in a car, if there were smoking restrictions, and perceptions about the effectiveness of legislation prohibiting smoking in cars when children are present. RESULTS: Twenty-three percent of daily smokers smoked at least occasionally in their car when children were present. This proportion was higher among smokers who knew that there was no legislation in Quebec prohibiting smoking in cars, compared to smokers who believed that such legislation was already in effect (32% vs. 12%). Smokers with a university degree and those who reported that smoking was prohibited at home were less likely to expose children to SHS in cars. Most daily smokers (75%) believed that legislation would be effective. DISCUSSION: The results of this study suggest that legislation prohibiting smoking in cars is necessary to protect children from SHS, that such legislation would be effective, and that it may be relatively easy to implement.

Cohort Profile: The Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) Study.

The Nicotine Dependence in Teens (NDIT) study is a prospective cohort investigation of 1294 students recruited in 1999-2000 from all grade 7 classes in a convenience sample of 10 high schools in Montreal, Canada. Its primary objectives were to study the natural course and determinants of cigarette smoking and nicotine dependence in novice smokers. The main source of data was self-report questionnaires administered in class at school every 3 months from grade 7 to grade 11 (1999-2005), for a total of 20 survey cycles during high school education. Questionnaires were also completed after graduation from high school in 2007-08 and 2011-12 (survey cycles 21 and 22, respectively) when participants were aged 20 and 24 years on average, respectively. In addition to its primary objectives, NDIT has embedded studies on obesity, blood pressure, physical activity, team sports, sedentary behaviour, diet, genetics, alcohol use, use of illicit drugs, second-hand smoke, gambling, sleep and mental health. Results to date are described in 58 publications, 20 manuscripts in preparation, 13 MSc and PhD theses and 111 conference presentations. Access to NDIT data is open to university-appointed or affiliated investigators and to masters, doctoral and postdoctoral students, through their primary supervisor (www.nditstudy.ca).

Smoking prevention counseling practices of Montreal general practitioners.

BACKGROUND: Primary care physicians are potentially important sources of interventions aimed at preventing youth smoking. Yet recent surveys suggest that physician smoking prevention practices are less than optimal. OBJECTIVES: To document prevention counseling practices and to identify correlates of these activities in a random sample of general practitioners in Montreal, Quebec. METHODS: A cross-sectional mail survey. RESULTS: Of 440 eligible general practitioners (GPs), 337 (77%) completed the questionnaire. General practitioners were more likely to ascertain the smoking status of adolescents (70.9%) than preadolescents (35.7%). Although about half of the GPs offered advice to prevent smoking onset in young adults (48.6%) and adolescents (48.3%), fewer did so for preadolescents (34.4%); only 12.1% advised parents to discuss smoking onset with their children. Correlates of ascertaining smoking status included female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-3.41), lower proportion of walk-in patients (OR, 2.73; 95% CI, 1.31-5.80), awareness of the "stage of behavior change" model (OR, 2.17; 95% CI, 1.18-4.04), and higher self-efficacy (OR, 4.12, 95% CI, 2.00-8.69). Correlates of provision of prevention advice included more hours spent in direct patient care (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.13-3.34), favorable beliefs and attitudes (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.06-2.83), and higher self-efficacy (OR, 4.32; 95% CI, 2.25-8.44). CONCLUSIONS: Our results point to the need for renewed efforts to enhance preventive efforts in primary care settings. Intervention programs for GPs should emphasize overcoming unfavorable beliefs and attitudes and low self-efficacy. Future research should evaluate the effect of brief prevention counseling adapted to increasingly busy practices.

Respiratory therapists' smoking cessation counseling practices: a comparison between 2005 and 2010.

OBJECTIVE: We assessed whether smoking cessation counseling practices and related psychosocial characteristics among respiratory therapists (RTs) improved between 2005 and 2010. METHODS: Data were collected in mailed self-report questionnaires in 2005 and in 2010, in random independent samples of active licensed RTs in Québec, Canada. RESULTS: The response proportion was 67.6% in 2005 and 59.9% in 2010. There were no substantial differences in mean cessation counseling scores according to year of survey. RTs who reported that they had received cessation counseling training during their studies or after their studies (when they were in practice) had statistically significantly better counseling practices for both patients ready and patients not ready to quit than untrained RTs. In addition, their self-efficacy to provide effective counseling was higher and they perceived fewer knowledge-related barriers to cessation. Further, RTs trained after their studies perceived fewer patient-related and time barriers to cessation counseling, and had better knowledge of community resources. CONCLUSIONS: Although the proportion of RTs trained in smoking cessation counseling during and after studies increased between 2005 and 2010 (from 3% to 14%, and from 17% to 29%, respectively), sustained efforts are needed to increase the number of trained RTs, so that this translates into positive observable changes in counseling practices.

Water-pipe smoking among North American youths.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this analysis were to identify the sociodemographic characteristics of water-pipe users in a North American context and to describe concurrent psychoactive substance use. METHODS: Data on sociodemographic characteristics, water-pipe smoking, and use of other psychoactive substances were collected in 2007 through mailed self-report questionnaires completed by 871 young adults, 18 to 24 years of age, who were participating in the Nicotine Dependence in Teens Study, a longitudinal investigation of the natural history of nicotine dependence among adolescents in Montreal, Canada. Independent sociodemographic correlates of water-pipe use were identified in multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Previous-year water-pipe use was reported by 23% of participants. Younger age, male gender, speaking English, not living with parents, and higher household income independently increased the odds of water-pipe use. Water-pipe use was markedly higher among participants who had smoked cigarettes, had used other tobacco products, had drunk alcohol, had engaged in binge drinking, had smoked marijuana, or had used other illicit drugs in the previous year. CONCLUSIONS: Water-pipe users may represent an advantaged group of young people with the leisure time, resources, and opportunity to use water-pipes. Evidence-based public health and policy interventions are required to equip the public to make informed decisions about water-pipe use.