Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is a growing public health concern. This exploratory study sought to assess the WTS knowledge and attitudes of healthcare professionals by distributing an anonymous, 12-item, cross-sectional survey to GPs in two areas; Brent: a socially-deprived, ethnically-diverse area of outer London known for its high prevalence of WTS1 (response rate 49 out of 251 [19.5%]), and Lancashire: an area of the north west of England not typically known for its WTS popularity (response rate 113 out of 850 [13.3%]). Questions asked about WTS consultations, beliefs, and smoking prevalence among GPs.
Out of 154 GPs, 31.2% were from Brent. More Brent GPs had previously given advice to patients about WTS (36.7% versus 13.0%, P<0.01) and previously asked patients about WTS as part of a tobacco history (32.7% versus 12.0%, P<0.05) than Lancashire GPs. Very few GPs had read about WTS in the academic literature (8%) compared to news media (29%), 19% had given advice to patients about WTS, and only 16% were confident in giving accurate WTS information to patients. Over half of GPs correctly answered our WTS knowledge questions about the harms of WTS. Half made an attempt to estimate the equivalent number of cigarettes that are consumed during one WTS session, which is estimated to be around the 10 cigarette mark.2 Most (51%) believed one WTS session to be equal to 1–20 cigarettes, 18% believed 21–40 cigarettes, and 29% believed it to be >40 cigarettes.
The main limitation of this study is the low response rate although this is common with GP surveys.3,4 WTS may be more commonly discussed in primary care consultations than previously assumed, with one-fifth of GPs having given WTS advice to patients. However, lack of awareness of WTS health effects and lack of confidence in giving advice on WTS is likely to reduce the scope for the delivery of effective smoking cessation interventions in primary care. Inclusion of information on WTS within clinical guidance appears appropriate given its growing use in some settings.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Shilpi Patel (NHS Brent) and Dr Sigrun Baier (Royal Preston Hospital) for their assistance during the course of this project.
Notes
Funding
This study was funded by the Applied Research Unit, NHS Brent.
Competing interests
The authors have declared no competing interests.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2014