Only 7% of docs aware of recent anti-smoking strategies advances

The survey also highlighted that despite 78.5 per cent of doctors regularly providing anti-smoking advice, there remains a significant lack of awareness of the most recent advancements in this field

New Delhi: A mere 7 per cent of doctors are aware of recent advances in anti-smoking strategies, posing a significant challenge to the nation’s efforts in combating tobacco addiction, according to a new study on Monday.

The study by Indian Medical Academy for Preventive Health (IMAPH) -- a knowledge hub and a trusted resource for healthcare professionals -- is based on a survey of 200 Indian doctors with a minimum of 3 years of experience.

The findings also showed that cardiovascular disease is the most common reason for patient visits at 12 per cent, underscoring the urgent need for anti-smoking interventions.

"The survey sheds light on the key role doctors play in motivating smokers to quit, emphasising the need for increased awareness and training in implementing advanced anti-smoking strategies. The findings of the survey are a wake-up call. We need to bridge the awareness gap among doctors to effectively combat tobacco harm," said Chandrakant S Pandav, global public health expert, and a former Professor & Head of the Department of Centre for Community Medicine at AIIMS, Delhi, in a statement.

The survey also highlighted that despite 78.5 per cent of doctors regularly providing anti-smoking advice, there remains a significant lack of awareness of the most recent advancements in this field.