PHILADELPHIA, May 1 Pediatricians believe secondhand smoke is a serious health concern for children, but they are not equipped to help reduce exposure, says a U.S. study.The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, surveyed physician training needs and attitudes towards improving secondhand smoke reduction efforts at a Philadelphia hospital.Sixty-six residents across all years of training and 27 preceptors, or resident supervisors, responded to the survey and the researchers found 93 percent reported that they received less than two hours of smoking cessation training during residency."Part of the issue is teaching medical residents to advise smoking parents at every patient visit," lead author Brad Collins of Temple University said in a statement. "Consider every message as a 'dose' of advice that in the long run could promote lasting changes in parental smoking behavior and children's exposure." Copyright 2007 by UPI
