Abstract Smoking worsens tuberculosis (TB) outcomes. Persons with TB who smoke can benefit from smoking cessation. We report findings of a multi-country qualitative process evaluation assessing barriers and facilitators to implementation of smoking cessation behaviour support in TB clinics in Bangladesh and Pakistan. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews at five case study clinics with 35 patients and 8 health workers over a period of 11 months (2017–2018) at different time points during the intervention implementation phase. Interviews were conducted by trained researchers in the native languages, audio-recorded, transcribed into English and analysed using a combined deductive–inductive approach guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Theoretical Domains Framework. All patients report willingness to quit smoking and recent quit attempts. Individuals’ main motivations to quit are their health and the need to financially provide for a family. Behavioural regulation such as avoiding exposure to cigarettes and social influences from friends, family and colleagues are main themes of the interviews. Most male patients do not feel shy admitting to smoking, for the sole female patient interviewee stigma was an issue. Health workers report structural characteristics such as high workload and limited time per patient as primary barriers to offering behavioural support. Self-efficacy to discuss tobacco use with women varies by health worker. Systemic barriers to implementation such as staff workload and socio-cultural barriers to cessation like gender relations, stigma or social influences should be dealt with creatively to optimize the behaviour support for sustainability and scale-up.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant public health problem in South Asia. Tobacco use increases the risks of TB infection and TB progression. The TB& Tobacco placebo-controlled randomised trial aims to (1) assess the effectiveness of the tobacco cessation medication cytisine versus placebo when combined with behavioural support and (2) implement tobacco cessation medication and behavioural support as part of general TB care in Bangladesh and Pakistan. This paper summarises the process and context evaluation protocol embedded in the effectiveness-implementation hybrid design.We are conducting a mixed-methods process and context evaluation informed by an intervention logic model that draws on the UK Medical Research Council's Process Evaluation Guidance. Our approach includes quantitative and qualitative data collection on context, recruitment, reach, dose delivered, dose received and fidelity. Quantitative data include patient characteristics, reach of recruitment among eligible patients, routine trial data on dose delivered and dose received, and a COM-B ('capability', 'opportunity', 'motivation' and 'behaviour') questionnaire filled in by participating health workers. Qualitative data include semistructured interviews with TB health workers and patients, and with policy-makers at district and central levels in each country. Interviews will be analysed using the framework approach. The behavioural intervention delivery is audio recorded and assessed using a predefined fidelity coding index based on behavioural change technique taxonomy.The study complies with the guidelines of the Declaration of Helsinki. Ethics approval for the study and process evaluation was granted by the University of Leeds (qualitative components), University of York (trial data and fidelity assessment), Bangladesh Medical Research Council and Bangladesh Drug Administration (trial data and qualitative components) and Pakistan Medical Research Council (trial data and qualitative components). Results of this research will be disseminated through reports to stakeholders and peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.ISRCTN43811467; Pre-results.
This study is designed to evaluate possible energy saving opportunities available for Universities Campuses. As an example three vital facilities in Peter the Great Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia were taken: the sport hall, the main canteen and one of the main dormitories. In this paper, we use the method of post-occupancy evaluation and regard the building environmental performance as the core of the evaluation system. The study implements multiple data collection methods, including a walk-through inspection to identify the extent of deficiencies found in the three facilities and a questionnaire survey to quantify users' perception and level of satisfaction with the quality of the built environment. The findings obtained were analyzed and reported to indicate the main failures and successes of the facilities' performance, and describe the degree of users' satisfaction. It is of practical value to planning, design professionals, building services' engineers and facilities managers responsible for the design and operation of these facilities.
Most smokers are addicted to tobacco or nicotine not only psychosocially but also physically, what results in withdrawal symptoms after they miss their dose. These are one of the major barriers to quitting. In the treatment of tobacco dependence, the evaluation of the degree of withdrawal symptoms helps to guide psychobehavioral intervention and, above all, the choice of the type, dose, and duration of pharmacotherapy. The Minnesota Withdrawal Symptoms Scale is one of the most widely used for this purpose, revised in 2020. We present a validated translation of this update.
After the oncological diagnosis, smoking has a major impact on survival, course and effectiveness of oncology treatment, and quality of the further life. Smoking worsens surgery outcomes, reduces the effectiveness of radiation therapy and chemotherapy, increases the risk of side effects of oncology treatment, and increases the incidence of tumor duplication or other comorbidities like venous thrombosis, cardiovascular diseases or infections. The article contains a summary of practical recommendations for oncology patients, including smoke-free environments, the importance of zero exposure to tobacco smoke, clear advice to stop smoking to smokers and offer of tobacco dependence treatment. Except of brief intervention within few tens of seconds up to 10 minutes, intensive treatment should be available, for example in special tobacco-dependence centers. In the documentation smoking status should be recorded including exposure to passive smoking, interventions to smokers (both active and passive) should be empathically repeated. The motivation to treat tobacco dependence should be mainly related to their specific oncological diagnosis, prognosis, course and effectiveness of its treatment. Treatment of tobacco dependence should be an obvious part of quality oncological care by doctors and nurses in intensity according to their time availability. Keywords: tobacco smoking, smoking cessation, nicotine dependence, chemotherapy, pharmacological interactions, adverse effects, cancer.
These recommendations are relevant for all clinical fields and all medical professions, although for some more and for some less. Smoking is the cause of every sixth death in the Czech Republic and is related to diseases of all organ systems. Effective treatment for the diagnosis of F17 exists and should be offered and available to approximately 2 million smokers in the Czech Republic as a standard part of medical and preventive care according to time availability - from brief intervention in frame of each clinical contact with the patient to intensive care. It includes psycho-socio-behavioral support and pharmacotherapy. It should cover all professions in clinical medicine - according to WHO recommendations, especially doctors, nurses, pharmacists and dentists and should be reimbursed within health systems. It should also be offered in other services like e.g., social or addictology care. From an economic point of view, it is one of the most cost-effective interventions in medicine.
There has been a noticeable relative increase in psychiatric comorbidities among smokers as opposed to the general population. This is likely due to comparatively slower decrease in smoking prevalence among individuals with mental health conditions. This study aims to assess the prevalence trend of past or current mental health disorders in individuals seeking specialized smoking cessation assistance.We conducted a retrospective single-centre observational study to assess the presence of mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, bipolar affective disorder, or schizophrenia in personal history of 6,546 smokers who sought treatment at the Centre for Treatment of Tobacco Dependence in Prague, Czech Republic between 2006 and 2019. The study examined the impact of gender, age, and the effect of successive years on the prevalence of the mental disorders using Poisson distribution regression.In the studied cohort, 1,743 patients (26.6%) reported having one or more mental disorders. Compared to patients without a psychiatric disorder, they exhibited similar levels of carbon monoxide in expired air (mean 17 ppm, SD 11 ppm) and scored one point higher on the Fagerström Test of Cigarette Dependence. Among smokers with a mental disorder, women were more prevalent (62%) than men (38%). The prevalence of mental disorders increased on average by 4% every year, rising from 23% in 2006 to 35% in 2019.Consistent with the observation that the prevalence of smoking among people with any mental disorder is higher and declining at a slower rate than in the general population, there is a steadily increasing percentage of these patients seeking specialized treatment over time. Professionals who offer tobacco dependence treatment should be aware of the upward trend in psychiatric disorders among smokers, as more intensive treatment may be needed. Similarly, psychiatric care should pay attention to smoking of their patients.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease and death in Europe and worldwide. Nurses, if properly educated, can contribute to decreasing the burden of tobacco use in the region by helping smokers quit smoking.To assess: (a) the feasibility of an online program to educate nurses in Czech Republic and Poland on evidence-based smoking cessation interventions for patients and (b) self-reported changes in practices related to consistently (usually or always) providing smoking cessation interventions to smokers, before and 3 months after participation in the program.A prospective single-group pre-post design.A total of 280 nurses from Czech Republic and 156 from Poland completed baseline and follow-up surveys. At 3 months, nurses were significantly more likely to provide smoking cessation interventions to patients who smoke and refer patients for cessation services (p < .01). Nurses significantly improved their views about the importance of nursing involvement in tobacco control.Education about tobacco control can make a difference in clinical practice, but ongoing support is needed to maintain these changes. Health system changes can also facilitate the expectation that delivering evidence-based smoking cessation interventions should be routine nursing care.Educating nurses on cessation interventions and tobacco control is pivotal to decrease tobacco-related disparities, disease, and death. Online methods provide an accessible way to reach a large number of nurses.
Objectives: Smoking is the leading cause of premature mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to provide the first national description of organizational capacity and involvement in tobacco control (TC) measures outlined by the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) within the Czech Republic. Methods: Data were collected in a national cross-sectional survey of all 14 organizations engaged in TC activities within the Czech Republic. Organizational capacity (defined as skills, supports, partnerships, resources, and leadership) to implement TC activities, and level of involvement in key FCTC measures were assessed and compared across organizations. Results: Despite the high economic costs of tobacco use, few organizations were involved in TC activities. 50% of all organizations involved in TC activities were non-government or non-profit organizations. Less than one third of organizations reported having a sufficient number of staff or adequate funding to work effectively. Skills for chronic disease prevention (CDP) practice including assessment, identifying relevant practices, developing and implementing initiatives were rated more favourably than skills to evaluate these activities. Level of involvement was ranked highest for activities that focused on creation of smoke-free environments and lowest for activities that focused on raising taxes and sales to minors. Organizations tended to be more involved in individual, rather than population-level prevention strategies. Inadequate funding, insufficient number of staff dedicated to working on TC, and lack of political will were major barriers. Conclusions: This paper provides the first national description of organizational capacity and level of involvement in FCTC measures within the Czech Republic.
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