Abstract
Smoking cessation without professional help is achieved only in 3-5%. Smoking cessation clinics that combine behavioral and pharmaceutical support increase abstinence rates after 6 months from 35% to 55%, depending also from the health professional's experience.
In our smoking cessation clinic (SCC) in Evaggelismos hospital we enrolled 250 smokers the last 20 months. These smokers received behavioral support in groups of 5-6, pharmaceutical treatment (varenicline or NRTs) and educational material as is the usual practice of the clinic. The smokers are given 5 weekly appointments that last 1 hour each.
Motivation and Confidence to quit were measured using a visual Analogue Scale (VAS) from 0-10. 0 corresponds to none motivation and self-confidence. Fangestrom Nicotine Dependence Score was also measured.
The profile of our smokers was highly addicted (FNDT≥8), motivated (VASm: 6) but without self-confidence (VASsc: 3) or known health problems related to smoking (70%). 75% used varenicline, 10% used NRTs and 15% did not accept or tolerate pharmaceutical treatment.
Our success rate at 3m was 58% and 45% at 1year.
What is interesting is that the vast percentage (85, 7%) of smokers that failed to quit were the ones that were unable to follow the program (36% of total) mainly (85%) because the morning appointments conflicted their work.
We conclude that a SC program that combines intense psychological support and pharmaceutical treatment leads to high SC rates in 1y. It appears that adherence to the program is of the most important factors that relate with success rates. We propose that either evening SCC should be available or abstinence from work due to participation to a SCC program should be justified.
- Copyright ©the authors 2016
