Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate enquiry about smoking and to identify the barriers to engaging in tobacco prevention among general practitioners (n = 147) in Vest-Agder county, Norway in 2001.
Material and methods: The questionnaire was basically the same as used in a national survey in 1999.
Results: If the patient did not have smoking related symptoms, GPs enquired about smoking in only 30% (mean) of cases. If the patient had such symptoms, the enquiry rate was 95%. If GPs were aware of their patients' smoking habits, they informed about the advantages of quitting smoking in approximately 2/3 (mean) of cases. Few engaged in smoking cessation support. The main experienced barrier to engage in smoking cessation was that it was time consuming. Half of the GPs would have preferred to refer those who wanted to quit to experts in smoking cessation. Approximately two thirds answered that they enquired more frequently about smoking habits in 2001 than in 1999, but survey data from 1999 suggests that enquiry rates remained unchanged from 1999 to 2001.
Interpretation: GPs enquired possibly more frequently about smoking habits in 2001 than in 1999. The main barriers to engaging in tobacco prevention were considered smaller the more the GPs approached practical smoking cessation work.