Smoking Cessation Among Methadone Users In Mauritius

Abstract

Background: This study aims to evaluate the aspects of smoking cessation in Mauritian users of methadone. A large number of researchers have suggested examining smoking in this population, as high rate of tobacco use has been reported in this population. With regards to the interventions for smoking cessation, very few are formulated to be used in the treatment of methadone. Method: At the stages of Transtheortical model, methadone users are surveyed in a cross sectional study using the Global Adult Tobacco Survey instrument. Data was collected from two groups and compared. One group was treated with the standards protocol of therapy while other with interventions sessions of motivational enhancement therapy. Both inferential and descriptive statistics encompassing non-parametric tests were used to analyze the collected data. Results: At the baseline for survey, the results demonstrated mean of 9.7 with a standard deviation of 5.8 self reported cigarettes per day. Out of which 56% were in state of precontemplation. Literacy levels were generally low in the whole community. At post intervention, patients reported decreasing their smoking by an average of 2%. Till the session of follow-up, 41% participants of the final sample self-reported a 50% decline in smoking while 26% reported no change. Generally, no major differences were observed between the groups concerning education, methadone intake doses, employment, marital status or age. Conclusion: Motivational enhancement therapy that serves as a catalyst for stage movement as well as a barrier for stage regression.