TY - JOUR T1 - Awareness and referral to a hospital-based smoking cessation (SC) clinic (SCC) JF - European Respiratory Journal JO - Eur Respir J VL - 44 IS - Suppl 58 SP - P4166 AU - Eva Campos-Pereira AU - Mariana Batista AU - J.M. Calheiros AU - S.B. Ravara Y1 - 2014/09/01 UR - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/44/Suppl_58/P4166.abstract N2 - Aim: To access smokers' awareness of and types of referral to a hospital-based SCC in a medium-sized Portuguese city; to analyze smokers' previous quit attempts. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Structured questionnaires systematically applied to smokers during clinical visits. Descriptive and inferential analysis using Chi-square/MacNemar/t student/Mann-Whitney tests. Results: Participants: 300 smokers, 68.7% males, mean age 47.7 ±11.97 years; mean duration of smoking: 30.27± 12.36 years; 65.8% hospital-referrals, 34.2% community smokers. Smokers became aware of SCC through a physician (63.4%); friends/family (24.7%); media (3.5%) and hospital signage (2.0%); 50.7% were self-referrals; others physicians-referrals (mostly pulmonologists/cardiologists/internal medicine). Two smokers were referred by GPs; none by community-pharmacists. Most smokers reported at least one previous attempt, remaining abstinent on average less than a year; 38.7% quitted ”cold turkey”; 20.0% quitted during hospital stay (also “cold turkey”); 29.9% received some SC support on their previous attempt (community pharmacists: 70.1%; physician: 20.9%; other HCP: 6.0%; physician+ nurse: 3.0%). Community smokers reported lower duration of smoking, higher education and became aware of SCC through social networks. Conclusion: There is room for improvement regarding SC network referral through: multidisciplinary training on brief advice/referral for all HCPs, especially nurses/GPs/community pharmacists; integration of SC in chronic diseases care; use of hospital signage; engaging community and encouraging more smokers to quit earlier through media/social networks/internet/ community-pharmacists; reimbursement of SC pharmacotherapy. ER -