Some sociodemographic factors on smoking cessation rate in Konak smoking cessation outpatient clinic

The aim of this study was to describe the sociodemographic characteristics and evaluate effects of attitudes and knowledge about smoking on the effectiveness of smoking cessation in patients attending to Konak Smoking Cessation Outpatient Clinic (SCOC). In this retrospective study, files of patients that admitted to Izmir Konak SCOC between 2009 and 2010 were investigated. Patient files consisted of; i) the “Patient Evaluation Form” ii) the Fagerstrom Test, iii) the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). A patient who didn’t smoke for a year was accepted as cessation and other cases were accepted as recurrences. Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, and Student’s t-test were used for statistical analyses. 1.508 patient files were examined. 50.0% of the patients were female, mean age was 42.37±12.17, dependency score was high/very high in 52.9% of the cases. The “cessation” rate was 38.7% for the whole group. Cessation rate of the 15-19 age group was lower compared to other age groups (p<0.05). Cessation rate was lower among singles compared to married or divorced/widows (p<0.05). The cessation rate of students was lower compared to working and non-working patients (p<0.05). The average age of starting smoking was 16.87±4.86. The risk of recurrence was higher in the presence of other people smoking at home or at work (RR: 1.4, p<0.001). Increase in the Fagerstrom dependency anxiety and depression scores were observed in the case of recurrence (p<0.001). The cessation rates to quit smoking were lower, the younger the age the patient started smoking (p<0.05). Cessation rates of patients attending to Konak SCOC after one year follow ups are high. Interventions to increase the application rates of young people and the promotion of integrated health activities for adolescents will increase the efforts toward the tobacco epidemic.