Treatment of tobacco dependence in Romanian women – a vulnerable population that needs a more personalized approach

Abstract

BackgroundWomen face unique and greater health risks from smoking than men and have a different nicotine dependence pattern.AimTo design a personalized approach for women addressing Romanian tobacco dependence treatment centers to quit smoking.Material and methodsA group of 68 smoking women received a 3 months tobacco dependence treatment intervention, consisting of 3 DVD educational sessions, 20 minutes each and a face to face cognitive – behavioral counseling intervention, emphasizing particularities of tobacco dependence in women (pregnancy risks, passive smoking, female hormones configuration, nicotinic receptors interactions, efficacy of nicotine dependence therapy according to gender, etc.).ResultsFemales under study were heavy smokers (17.16 ± 8.03 SD packs cigarettes/years) with high nicotine dependence scores (6.52 ± 6.03 SD).Abstinence rate evaluated in end of treatment (3EOT) phase by an office visit (self-declared abstinence and exhaled carbon monoxide validation) was 38% and increased at 44.1% at 6 months follow-up when evaluated by a telephone contact visit (6TCV).ConclusionsPersonalized tobacco dependence treatment approach, focusing on specific women tobacco use concerns increased abstinence rates, comparatively to previous data in women not benefiting educational DVD and face to face sessions [1].Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.