Table 2.

Comparison of knowledge and attitudes of physicians and dentists towards tobacco control, Oman, 2001.

	Mean score
Statement	Never used tobacco	Ever used tobacco	Pvalue
Patient's chances to quit are increased if a health professional advises them so	1.9	2.1	.001
Health professionals should routinely ask about their patients smoking habits.	1.6	1.7	.046
Heath professionals should routinely advise their smoking patients to quit smoking.	1.5	1.6	.004
Health professionals who smoke are less likely to advise people to stop smoking.	2.1	2.7	.001
Health professionals should get specific training on cessation techniques.	1.7	1.9	.002
Smoking in enclosed public places should be prohibited.	1.1	1.3	.001
Health warnings on cigarette packages should be in big print.	1.3	1.5	.001
Tobacco sales should be banned to children and adolescents.	1.1	1.2	.092
Sport sponsorships by tobacco industry should be banned.	1.5	1.6	.390
There should be a complete ban on the advertising of tobacco products.	1.5	1.7	.019
Hospitals and health care centers should be “smoke-free”.	1.1	1.2	.007
The price of tobacco products should be increased sharply.	1.7	2.2	.001
Maternal smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of SiDS*	1.7	1.9	.012
Passive smoking increases the risk of lung disease in non-smoking adults.	1.5	1.7	.001
Passive smoking increases the risk of heart disease in non-smoking adults.	1.8	1.9	.104
Paternal smoking increases the risk of lower respiratory tract illnesses such as pneumonia in exposed children.	1.8	1.9	.015

^*SIDS, Sudden infant death syndrome