Background:

Tobacco use is considered as the leading cause of preventable death worldwide by the World Health Organization. In Uruguay, 22.2% of adults are current smokers. Between 15 and 18 year-old- people prevalence of tobacco use is greater among women. Likewise, during pregnancy, current use stands in 9.8% in private institutions, and reaches 26,3% in women assisted in public healthcare services. A combination of myths and lack of awareness had been described as barriers to tobacco cessation in vulnerable populations.

Objective:

To determine the level of knowledge of tobacco-related diseases among hospitalized patients in public gynecological-obstetric services from Montevideo, Uruguay, during July-August 2017.

Materials and methods:

. Descriptive observational study, obtaining data by means of a survey composed by multiple choice and open-ended questions.

Results:

196 patients where included in the study, with a mean of age of 35.38 years. 59% of the population had incomplete secondary school studies, while 17% had only completed primary. Tobacco use had a prevalence of 30,6%. Patients related tobacco use to adverse pregnancy results in a 96,4% of cases. Only 50% of the population related tobacco use to cervix cancer, 47.4% to infertility and 56.1% to osteoporosis. However 86.2% recognize it as a factor to accelerate skin aging. Generally, there were no significant differences of knowledge between smokers and no smokers. Participants considered chopped tobacco less harmful than cigarettes in 34.2% of cases. It was found that only a minority of the population received counselling for cessation during hospitalization.

Conclusions:

Patients are not aware of the link between tobacco use and health problems concerning women. Greater diffusion between patients and health care professionals is required to achieve better results as well as proper referral to cessation clinics.

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