General Practice · Public Health · 2 h ago
Survey Finds Lower Tobacco Screening and Quit Advice for Non-Cigarette Users
An epidemiological analysis of 139,524 adults in the 2021–2023 US National Survey on Drug Use and Health compared healthcare-provider screening and cessation advice across tobacco-product users. Users of cigars, smokeless tobacco and e-cigarettes were less likely than cigarette smokers to report being asked about tobacco use, and non-cigarette users were substantially less likely to report quit advice.
- Non-cigarette users reported lower rates of tobacco-use assessment.
- Quit advice varied substantially by tobacco product.
- Survey findings show associations, not causes.
Researchers analyzed adult data from the 2021–2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (n=139,524) to compare whether exclusive users of cigarettes, cigars, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes or multiple tobacco products (MTPs) recalled being asked about tobacco use or advised to quit by a healthcare provider in the past year. The study was epidemiological and also examined factors associated with these reported encounters.
Compared with 78.9% of cigarette smokers, fewer cigar users (74.3%), smokeless-tobacco users (72.5%) and e-cigarette users (73.2%) said they had been asked about tobacco use. Among those asked, 77.1% of cigarette smokers reported receiving quit advice, compared with 25.4% of cigar users, 46.0% of smokeless-tobacco users, 0.5% of e-cigarette users and 65.4% of MTP users. More healthcare appointments were associated with both being asked and advised; older age was associated with receiving advice.
The findings point to gaps in reported clinical assessment and cessation advice for non-cigarette tobacco products. They rely on survey reports and describe associations, not the effects of an intervention; the study does not establish why these differences occur or whether they reflect specific clinical encounters or provider practices.
In practice
The survey suggests that clinicians may be less likely to ask about tobacco use or advise cessation when patients use products other than cigarettes, particularly e-cigarettes and cigars. It supports including non-cigarette products in routine tobacco-use assessment and cessation discussions, but it does not test whether a screening or counseling intervention improves outcomes. The findings are based on self-reported survey data and do not establish the reasons for differences or prove that any specific clinical approach changes quitting behavior.
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Journal of General Internal Medicine: Healthcare Providers are Less Likely to Ask About and Advise Cessation for Non-Cigarette Tobacco Products: NSDUH 2021–2023 ↗This is an automated AI-condensed summary that has not yet been reviewed by an editor. Always consult the full item at the original source.