Maintenance of tobacco cessation programmes in public hospitals in Catalonia, Spain

Trend and Seasonality of Hip Fractures in Catalonia, Spain: Exploring the Influence of Climate

To describe the secular trend and seasonality of the incidence of hip fracture (HF) and its relationship with climatic variables during the period 2010-2019 in Catalonia in people aged ≥ 65 years. The results were analyzed by sex, age groups (65-74, 75-84, and ≥ 85), and types of fracture (extracapsular and intracapsular). Data on sex, age, type of fracture, year, and month of hospitalization of patients admitted with a diagnosis of HF between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019 were collected. Crude and standardized HF incidence (HFi) rates were obtained. Data on the monthly mean of climatological variables (temperature, insolation, icy days, rain, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, and wind force) were obtained from the network of meteorological stations in Catalonia. Time series analytical statistics were used to identify trends and seasonality. Linear regression and a seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) were used to analyze the relationship of each climatic parameter with fracture rates. In addition, generalized additive models were used to ascertain the best predictive model. The total number of HF episodes was 90,149 (74.1% in women and 25.9% in men). The total number of HFs increased by 6.4% between 2010 and 2019. The median age (SD) was 84.5 (7.14) and 54% of patients were ≥ 85 years of age. Extracapsular fractures were the most common (55%). The standardized incidence rates decreased from 728.1/100,000 (95% CI 738.6-769.3) to 624.5/100,000 (95% CI 648.7-677.0), which represents a decrease of 14.2% (p < 0.05). The decline was greater at older ages. There were seasonal variations, with higher incidences in autumn (27.2%) and winter (25.7%) and lower rates in summer (23.5%) and spring (23.6%). Seasonality was more pronounced in elderly people and men. In the bivariate regression analysis, high temperatures and greater insolation were negatively associated with the HF rate, while the number of icy days, rainy days, and high relative humidity were associated with a higher incidence of fractures in all age groups and sexes. In the regression analysis using the seasonal ARIMA model, only insolation had a consistently significant association with overall HFi, after adjusting by trend and other climatic parameters. While the global number of HFs grew in Catalonia due to increases in the elderly population, the standardized HF rate decreased during the years 2010-2019. There was a seasonal trend, with predominance in the cold months and correlations with climatic parameters, especially with insolation.

Factors associated with changes in inpatients' smoking pattern during hospitalization and one month after discharge: A cohort study

INTRODUCTION

Smokers are frequent users of healthcare services. Admissions to hospital can serve as a "teachable moment" for quitting smoking. Clinical guidelines recommend initiating smoking cessation services during hospitalization; however, in Southern European countries less than 5% of inpatients receive a brief intervention for smoking cessation.

OBJECTIVES

The aims of this study were (i) to examine rates of smoking abstinence during and after hospitalization; (ii) to measure changes in smoking patterns among persons who continued smoking after discharge; and (iii) to identify predictors of abstinence during hospitalization and after discharge.

METHODS

A cohort study of a representative sample of current adult smokers hospitalized in two Spanish and two Portuguese hospitals. We surveyed smokers during hospitalization and recontacted them one month after discharge. We used a 25-item ad hoc questionnaire regarding their smoking pattern, the smoking cessation intervention they have received during hospitalization, and hospital and sociodemographic characteristics. We performed a descriptive analysis using the chi-square test and a multivariate logistic regression to characterize the participant, hospital, and smoking cessation intervention (5As model) characteristics associated with smoking abstinence.

RESULTS

Smoking patients from both countries presented high abstinence rates during hospitalization (Spain: 76.4%; Portugal: 70.2%); however, after discharge, their abstinence rates decreased to 55.3% and 46.8%, respectively. In Spain, smokers who tried to quit before hospital admission showed higher abstinence rates, and those who continued smoking reduced a mean of five cigarettes the number of cigarettes per day (p ≤ 0.001). In Portugal, abstinence rates were higher among women (p = 0.030), those not living with a smoker (p = 0.008), those admitted to medical-surgical wards (p = 0.035), who consumed their first cigarette within 60 min after waking (p = 0.006), and those who were trying to quit before hospitalization (p = 0.043).

CONCLUSIONS

Half of the smokers admitted into the Spanish hospitals are abstinent one month after discharge or have reduced their cigarettes per day. Nevertheless, success rates could be increased by implementing evidence-based tobacco cessation programs at the organizational-level, including post-discharge active quitting smoking support.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Three-quarters of the inpatients who smoke remain abstinent during hospitalization and over half achieve to maintain their abstinence or at least reduce their consumption one month after discharge, proving that admission to hospitals is an excellent teachable moment to quit smoking.

Factors associated with receipt of the 5As model of brief intervention for smoking cessation among hospitalized patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Guidelines recommend the 5As model of brief intervention for providing smoking cessation support in clinical settings. This study assessed patient and hospital characteristics associated with self-reported receipt of the 5As (ask, advise, assess, assist and arrange).

DESIGN

Multi-center cross-sectional study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Adult inpatients (n = 1047) were randomly selected from 13 hospitals in the Barcelona province of Spain in 2014-2015.

MEASUREMENTS

We explored participants' receipt of the 5As through a questionnaire. Given the progressiveness of the 5As, we recoded the fulfillment of the intervention as: A₀ : no intervention; A₁ : ask; A₂ : ask and advise; A₃ : A₂ and assess; A₄ : A₃ and assist; and A₅ : A₄ and arrange a follow-up. We explored patient (e.g. age, sex, comorbidities) and hospital (e.g. type of hospital, unit) characteristics. We adjusted multi-level robust Poisson regression models to estimate the adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) of the association between the recoded 5As intervention received.

FINDINGS

A total of 60.4% (n = 624) of patients had been asked (A₁ ) about their smoking status. Among smokers, 46.5% (n = 90) were advised (A₂ ), 26.6% (n = 48) assessed (A₃ ) and 4.6% (n = 10) received all the components of the 5As (A₅ ). Middle-aged smokers [aPR = 3.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.69-7.79] with a respiratory disease (aPR = 2.19; 95% CI = 1.11-4.34) were most likely to have been asked, advised and assessed (A₃ ). The cessation intervention was most frequently performed by physicians.

CONCLUSIONS

In the Barcelona province of Spain, it appears that fewer than half of hospitalized patients who smoke were advised to quit and few received the full 'five As' brief intervention for smoking cessation.

Patient perceptions of tobacco control after smoke-free hospital grounds legislation: Multi-center cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

To examine patient perceptions of the role of health care providers in tobacco control and tobacco-related services they should provide after the introduction of national smoke-free hospital grounds legislation in Spain.

DESIGN

Multi-center cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Thirteen hospitals in Barcelona province in 2014-2015.

PARTICIPANTS

A total of 1,047 adult hospital patients, with a stay ≥ 24 h were randomly selected.

METHOD

We explored participants' perceptions of the role of health professionals and hospitals in tobacco control by asking about their agreement with several statements after the introduction of national legislation on smoke-free hospital grounds: (i) health professionals "should set an example and not smoke" and "should provide smoking cessation support"; (ii) hospitals "should provide smoking cessation treatments" and are "role model organizations in compliance with the smoke-free legislation", and (iii) "hospitalization is a perfect moment to quit smoking". Responses were described overall and according to participant and hospital characteristics: patient sex and age, type of hospital unit, number of beds, and smoking prevalence among hospital staff.

RESULTS

The majority of participants considered that health professionals should be role models in tobacco cessation (75.3%), should provide smoking cessation support to patients (83.0%), and that hospitalization is a good opportunity for initiating an attempt to quit (71.5%). Inpatients admitted to general hospitals where smoking cessation was not given as part of their portfolio, with a low level of implementation in tobacco control, and who stayed in surgical units had higher expectations of receiving smoking cessation interventions.

CONCLUSIONS

Inpatients strongly support the role of hospitals and health professionals in tobacco control and expect to receive smoking cessation interventions during their hospital stay. Systematically providing smoking cessation services in hospitals may have a relevant impact on health outcomes among smokers and on health care system expenditures.

Impact of an Online Training Program in Smoking Cessation Interventions in Hospitals

PURPOSE

To assess changes in the self-reported performance of smoking cessation interventions according to the 5A's model (Ask; Advise; Assess; Assist; and Arrange follow-up) among clinicians; and to identify the main barriers and facilitators in smoking cessation implementation before and after an online smoking cessation training program.

DESIGN

Pre-post evaluation.

METHODS

We assessed self-reported smoking cessation interventions in the implementation of the 5A's model among clinicians working in Catalan hospitals (Spain). In addition, we assessed individual-, behavioral-, and organizational-level factors that act as barriers and facilitators in the implementation of the 5A's model. We used a questionnaire of 63 items reflecting each of the 5A's performance (scored from 0 = none to 10 = most possible). The questionnaire was completed both immediately before and 6 months after the training. We analyzed the data of those participants who had a clinical role and answered pre- and post-questionnaires. We used the nonparametric test for paired data (Wilcoxon) to examine changes in scores.

FINDINGS

A total of 127 clinicians completed the pre-post questionnaire; 63.0% were registered nurses, 17.3% were nursing assistants, 7.9% were physicians, and 11.8% were other professionals (p < .001). Overall, there were significant increases in the implementation of the assist component (from a score of 4.5 to 5.2; p < .003) and arrange a follow-up component (from 3.6 to 4.5; p < .001) of the intervention. Scores in the perception of the level of overall preparation, preparedness in using smoking cessation drugs, level of competence, and organizational recognition improved (p < .001) at the follow-up; however, the score in the perception that implementing smoking cessation is part of their job decreased (from 6.3 to 4.4; p < .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The online training had a positive impact on the implementation of assist and arrange follow-up components. Although self-preparedness in the management of smokers increased, the motivation and involvement of key professionals decreased. Organizational factors related to the incorporation of resources (such as protocols, records, etc.) should be improved for the correct progression of smoking cessation interventions within the institutions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE

Smoking cessation training programs should incorporate some motivational content to increase the engagement of health professionals in smoking cessation interventions in their clinical practice.

Smoking among hospitalized patients: A multi-hospital cross-sectional study of a widely neglected problem

INTRODUCTION

A comprehensive smoking ban was recently enacted for acute-care hospital campuses in Spain. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and patterns of smoking among inpatients before and during hospitalization.

METHODS

Multi-center cross-sectional study was conducted in 13 hospitals in the province of Barcelona, Spain from May 2014 to May 2015. Participants were adults who provided informed consent. The sample size was calculated to be representative of each hospital (prevalence 29.4%, precision ± 5%, error 5%). We approached 1228 subjects, 888 accepted to participate and 170 were replaced (were not available or declined to participate). Final sample comprised 1047 subjects. We used a computer-assisted personal interview system to collect data, including sociodemographic variables and use of tobacco before and during hospitalization. Smoking status was validated with exhaled carbon monoxide. We calculated overall tobacco prevalence and investigated associations with participant and center characteristics. We performed multiple polytomous and multilevel logistic regression analyses to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), with adjustments for potential confounders.

RESULTS

In all, 20.5% (95% CI: 18.1–23.0) of hospitalized patients were smokers. Smoking was most common among men (aOR=7.47; 95% CI: 4.88–11.43), young age groups (18–64 years), and individuals with primary or less than primary education (aOR=2.76; 95% CI: 1.44–5.28). Of the smokers, 97.2% were daily consumers of whom 44.9% had medium nicotine dependence. Of all smokers, three-quarters expressed a wish to quit, and one-quarter admitted to consuming tobacco during hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate the need to offer smoking cessation interventions among hospitalized patients in all units and service areas, to avoid infringements and increase patient safety, hospital efficiency, and improve clinical outcomes. Hospitalization represents a promising window for initiating smoking interventions addressed to all patients admitted to smoke-free hospitals, specially after applying a smoke-free campus ban.