Disability and Health Unit, Centre for Health Equity, the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Medicine Monash Health, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.
BMJ Open. 2022 Jul 29;12(7):e059637. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-059637.
To assess smoking habits, nicotine use, exposure to passive smoking, awareness of associated harms, and experiences with and preferences for smoking cessation support among people with multiple sclerosis (MS).
Online survey, convenience sampling.
Community setting, Australia.
Adults living in Australia with probable or diagnosed MS were recruited via social media and newsletters to participate in 2020.
Of the 284 participants in our convenience sample, 25.7% were current smokers (n=73) and 38.0% were former smokers (n=108). Awareness of the harms of smoking on MS onset (n=68, 24.3%) and progression (n=116, 41.6%) was low. Almost a quarter (n=67, 23.8%) of participants were regularly exposed to passive smoke, and awareness of associated harm was also low (n=47, 16.8%). Among current smokers, 76.1% (n=54) had tried quitting and 73.2% considered quitting within 6 months (n=52). Many participants reported perceived short-term benefits of smoking, and long-term benefits of quitting, on MS symptoms and general well-being (short-term n=28, 40.0%; long-term n=28, 82.4%). While most participants reported that their neurologist (n=126, 75.4%) or other healthcare providers (n=125, 74.9%) had assessed smoking status, very few neurologists (n=3, 1.8%) or other healthcare providers (n=14, 8.4%) had provided help with quitting. Most current smokers preferred speaking about smoking to a neurologist (n=36, 52.2%) or general practitioner (n=41, 59.4%). Almost 60% of the current smokers wanted additional cessation information specific to MS (n=41, 59.4%), and 45.5% said this information would motivate them to quit smoking (n=30).
Our convenience sample, which may not be representative, indicated an urgent need for regular evidence-based smoking cessation supports for people with MS. Most participants felt they would benefit from smoking cessation advice. MS clinicians, in collaboration with patient organisations, smoking cessation services and general practitioners, should make smoking cessation promotion with people with MS a priority.
评估多发性硬化症 (MS) 患者的吸烟习惯、尼古丁使用情况、被动吸烟暴露情况、对相关危害的认识、戒烟支持的体验和偏好。
在线调查，便利抽样。
澳大利亚的社区环境。
通过社交媒体和通讯招募澳大利亚的成年 MS 疑似或确诊患者参与 2020 年的研究。
在我们的便利样本中，284 名参与者中有 25.7%（n=73）为当前吸烟者，38.0%（n=108）为前吸烟者。对吸烟与 MS 发病（n=68，24.3%）和进展（n=116，41.6%）相关危害的认识较低。近四分之一（n=67，23.8%）的参与者经常接触被动吸烟，对相关危害的认识也较低（n=47，16.8%）。在当前吸烟者中，76.1%（n=54）曾尝试戒烟，73.2%（n=52）考虑在 6 个月内戒烟。许多参与者报告称吸烟对 MS 症状和整体健康有短期益处（n=28，40.0%）和长期益处（n=28，82.4%）。虽然大多数参与者报告说他们的神经科医生（n=126，75.4%）或其他医疗保健提供者（n=125，74.9%）评估了吸烟状况，但很少有神经科医生（n=3，1.8%）或其他医疗保健提供者（n=14，8.4%）提供戒烟帮助。大多数当前吸烟者更愿意与神经科医生（n=36，52.2%）或全科医生（n=41，59.4%）讨论吸烟问题。近 60%的当前吸烟者希望获得特定于 MS 的额外戒烟信息（n=41，59.4%），并且 45.5%（n=30）表示这些信息将激励他们戒烟。
我们的便利样本可能不具代表性，但表明迫切需要为 MS 患者提供定期的循证戒烟支持。大多数参与者认为他们将从戒烟建议中受益。MS 临床医生应与患者组织、戒烟服务和全科医生合作，将促进 MS 患者戒烟作为优先事项。
