High Smoking Cessation Rates After National Awareness Campaigns and By Comprehensive Treatment Approach

Abstract

ABSTRACT Aim: Turkey is the 10th country among the most tobacco product consuming countries. By the recent regulations, Turkey became a “Smoke Free Country”, and one of the leading countries to implement WHO's MPOWER package. Turkey is also one of the most successful countries in reducing the smoking rates in the last five years. WHO declared in September 2012 that tobacco use is declining at unprecedented rates in Turkey. Hacettepe University smoking cessation clinic in one of the most comprehensive institutions in Turkey, providing counseling, medical treatment, psychosocial support, individual cancer risk assessment, and screening to the smokers. This study presents the quit rates of a comprehensive approach for smoking cessation between 2010 and 2013, which the most intensive awareness campaigns held in Turkey. Methods: The patient database of HU was used for obtaining the demographic data, and the quit rates for this study. All patients took psychosocial support, individual cancer risk assessment, and screening support when needed, along with their smoking cessation treatment; and followed-up for one year by telephone interviews. Results: A total of 4085 patients with a mean age of 40.3 (SD: 12) years were admitted for smoking cessation treatment. Mean age for initiation of smoking was 18.1 (SD: 5.2) years, 56.4% were men, 70.2% were married, 69.4% were graduated from high school or higher degrees, median Fagerstrom nicotine dependence test score was 6, and mean cigarette consumption was 24.6 (SD: 18.3) pack.years. Nicotine replacement, Bupropion, and Varenicline was used as primary medications in 5.7%, 21.3%, and 50.5% of the patients, respectively. Overall quit rate was 43.6%, relapse rate was 22.3%, and median time to relapse was 14 (95%CI: 12.6-15.4) months. Smoke-free 1-year success rate of the comprehensive treatment was 31.3%. Conclusions: These results indicate that, overall and 1-year smoke-free rates, and the time to relapse after smoking cessation treatment applied in our institution is better than the current literature data. This might be related with the increased awareness level in the community, yet a comprehensive approach is still needed for the successful smoking cessation treatment. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.