Susi Ari Kristina, Montarat Thavorncharoensap, Petcharat Pongcharoensuk, Yayi Suryo Prabandari
Objective
This study aimed at exploring pharmacists’ knowledge, perceived role, and self-efficacy toward smoking cessation counseling.
Methods
As no previous standard pharmacist-focused smoking cessation knowledge questionnaires exist, a review of the literature informed the development of such a questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to a group pharmacists attending continuing education in Yogyakarta Province, Indonesia in October 2012. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20. Mean total scores and chi-square test were performed.
Results
Responses from 73 pharmacists (76% response rate) were obtained. Majority of respondents were less than 30 years (76.7%), women (90.4%), and all of them were non-smoker. Knowledge about health effects of smoking was adequate. All respondents demonstrated positive perceived role, but low in self-efficacy toward smoking cessation counseling. The most important barrier in providing smoking cessation service is lack of training for cessation counseling. Age significantly associated with knowledge and perceived role (p< 0.001; 0.035 respectively). Job position was found to be strongly associated with self-efficacy. Pharmacists who worked at community pharmacies were more confident in providing cessation service rather than those who work at hospitals (P<0.001).
Conclusion
The results provide a figure of pharmacists’ need in tobacco education and training. These needs should be addressed by designing educational training program targeting in smoking cessation for Indonesian pharmacists.
