Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40102812›Full record

ArticleHarm reduction journal2025

Australian general practitioners' knowledge, attitudes and prescribing intentions for e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid: a nationwide baseline and 12-month follow up survey.

Melis Selamoglu, Sowmya Malamardi, Bircan Erbas, Hester Wilson, Jamie Brown, Chris Barton

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Harm reduction journal, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Mapping Access to Nicotine Vaping Products for Smoking Cessation: Pharmacist Needs and Practice Implications in South-East Melbourne.Health promotion journal of Australia : official journal of Australian Association of Health Promotion Professionals · 2026
    Article
  3. Article
  4. Electronic cigarette for smoking cessation: a fast-track Delphi consensus of French-speaking experts.Archives of public health = Archives belges de sante publique · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Melis SelamogluDepartment of General Practice, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Melis.Selamoglu@monash.edu.ORCID 0000-0002-4840-9791
Sowmya MalamardiDepartment of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-8173-9127
Bircan ErbasDepartment of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9597-418X
Hester WilsonPopulation and Community Health, South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Sydney, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-7193-9566
Jamie BrownDepartment of Behavioural Science and Health, University College London, London, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-2797-5428
Chris BartonDepartment of General Practice, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9823-7425

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe Australian Government introduced a major policy change tightening regulations regarding the access to nicotine containing e-cigarettes in October 2021. We assessed general practitioners' (GPs) knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and intentions to prescribe nicotine containing e-cigarettes for smoking cessation. We compared baseline data near the time of policy change with data collected from these GPs 12-months later.

methodsGPs were invited to complete a repeated cross-sectional survey based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour between December 2021 and March 2022 (T1) and again, between January and April 2023 (T2). Survey questions assessed knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and intention to prescribe e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.

resultsA total of 264 GPs completed the baseline (T1) survey and 94 provided responses at follow-up (T2). Over half of responders were female (T1 n = 170, 64.4%, T2 n = 57, 60.6%) and roughly one third were aged between 30 and 39 years (T1 n = 80, 37.2%, T2 n = 28, 29.8%). Participants who agreed e-cigarettes were suitable smoking cessation aids were more willing to recommend e-cigarettes to patients at T1 and T2 (T1 n = 29, 87.9%, vs. T2 n = 20, 100%). Knowledge about e-cigarettes was limited and did not change between T1 and T2. Participants who had greater confidence in their ability to talk to and answer patient questions about e-cigarettes were more likely to recommend them for smoking cessation at both T1 and T2 (T1 n = 24, 70.6% vs. T2 n = 17, 85.0%).

conclusionSince tightening the regulation of nicotine containing e-cigarettes, there has been little change in Australian GPs' perceptions of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids. Australian GPs are poorly educated about vaping and knowledge about e-cigarettes remained limited, however, GPs at follow-up were more confident in their ability to discuss e-cigarettes with their patients. The findings from this survey may help guide policy and develop strategies to support the implementation of smoking cessation guidelines that incorporate the use of e-cigarettes as smoking cessation aids in Australia.

Indexed as

Attitude of Health PersonnelElectronic Nicotine Delivery SystemsGeneral PractitionersHealth Knowledge, Attitudes, PracticePractice Patterns, Physicians'Smoking CessationAdultAustraliaCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleFollow-Up StudiesHumansIntentionMaleMiddle AgedSurveys and QuestionnairesE-cigaretteGeneral practiceHarm reductionPrimary carePublic healthSmoking cessation

Identifiers

PMID40102812
PMCPMC11916968

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.