RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access

Treating tobacco dependence in older adults: a survey of primary care clinicians’ knowledge, attitudes, and practice Lisa Huddlestone1*, Gemma Michelle Walker2, Robana Hussain-Mills3 and Elena Ratschen1 Background: The benefits of smoking cessation among older people are well documented. Despite this, evidence suggests that older smokers are rarely engaged in smoking cessation efforts, and that existing tobacco dependence treatments require further tailoring to the specific needs of older smokers. This study assesses the knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practice of primary care clinicians in relation to addressing tobacco dependence among older people. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of 427 NHS primary care clinicians in a large English city was conducted using modified version of a previously validated questionnaire. Results: One hundred and seventy one clinicians (40 % response rate) completed the survey. While the majority (90.0 %) of respondents reported enquiring regularly about older patients ’ smoking status, just over half (59.1 %) reported providing older patients with smoking cessation support. A lack of awareness in relation to th