Physicians’ self-efficacy, beliefs and intentions to provide tobacco cessation services: A cross-sectional study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction Prevalence of tobacco use in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is 12.2% and negatively impacting the health of the population. Diseases such as lung cancer, heart diseases, and poor prognosis of COVID-19 can be prevented by tobacco cessation. Physicians are trusted among patients and therefore are well-positioned to provide tobacco cessation services, however, their attitudes about such services are unknown. Our purpose is to assess attitudes about providing tobacco cessation services among physicians practicing in KSA. Methods This study is questionnaire-based and of crosssectional design. We applied the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) framework to guide our study. Twenty percent (n=25) of primary care centers were randomly selected. A paperbased survey was administered to 291 physicians practicing in the selected primary care centers, each item mapped onto one of the seven TRA constructs. Constructs assessed were: demographics, self-efficacy, knowledge, subjective beliefs, normative beliefs, control beliefs, and intentions to provide tobacco cessation services. Constructs were measured with latent variables, and associations were estimated in a structural equation path model. Results The majority (71%) of physicians reported minimal or no training on tobacco cessation. The average score for tobacco treatment knowledge was 4.09 out of 10 questions. On a scale of 1 to 5, the mean score for intention to provide tobacco cessation services was 3.26. Mean scores for subjective, normative, and control beliefs were 3.45, 3.41, and 3.43, respectively. Mean score for self-efficacy was 3.38. Self-efficacy had a strong influence on intention to provide cessation services via several pathways. Conclusions Due to lack of prior training among physicians, we recommend delivering future tobacco cessation training. Such training would be effective, given that scores on selfefficacy, beliefs, and intentions, in this study indicate a promising attitude toward the provision of tobacco cessation services.

Keywords

• physicians’ beliefs
• tobacco cessation services
• smoking cessation
• theory of reasoned action