Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40709317›Full record

ArticleTobacco induced diseases2025

Knowledge and perceptions of nicotine, smoking cessation and electronic nicotine delivery systems among physicians and pharmacists in a Swiss hospital group.

Samuel E Christen, Elisabetta Scanniello, Felix Hammann, Carla Meyer-Massetti, Reto Auer, Jean-François Etter, Evangelia Liakoni

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Tobacco induced diseases, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing 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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. 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

7 authors.

Samuel E ChristenClinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Elisabetta ScannielloClinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Felix HammannClinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Carla Meyer-MassettiClinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Reto AuerInstitute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
Jean-François EtterInstitute of Global Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Evangelia LiakoniClinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Department of General Internal Medicine, Inselspital, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionDespite the important role that healthcare professionals play in smoking cessation strategies, recent reports from several countries show misperceptions about nicotine, pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation and novel nicotine products, but little is known about such knowledge gaps among healthcare professionals in Switzerland.

methodsThis study involved a cross-sectional anonymous survey. Physicians and pharmacists from a large hospital group in Switzerland were invited in 2023 by e-mail to participate. The survey covered nicotine, smoking cessation, and knowledge of electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS).

resultsOf the 2035 healthcare professionals contacted, 279 responded to the survey (14%). Fifty-three percent of participants identified as women, 69% were in the age group of ≤40 years, 77% were never smokers, and 85% saw patients daily. The majority (76%) agreed that nicotine is the main substance in tobacco responsible for addiction, while 73% and 69% disagreed that nicotine on its own causes cancer or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), respectively. Most participants (n=128; 63%) opposed the recommendation of e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation aid, although e-cigarettes were considered less harmful than combustible cigarettes, both for users and bystanders. Nevertheless, 64% considered them to be equally or more problematic for public health than tobacco cigarettes.

conclusionsThis survey highlights knowledge gaps and misperceptions about nicotine and smoking cessation products among healthcare professionals in a large hospital group in Switzerland. Respondents appeared to have a relative accurate understanding regarding most of the direct effects of nicotine. However, uncertainties were noted in relation to newer products such as e-cigarettes. Future research should extend to other healthcare professionals and assess the impact of targeted training on knowledge and clinical practice.

Indexed as

e-cigaretteselectronic nicotine delivery systemsnicotinesmoking cessationsurvey

Identifiers

PMID40709317
PMCPMC12288835

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.