• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.655-660
• /
• 2016

Smoking is accountable for the fatality of a substantial number of persons and increases the likelihood of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Although data have shown high prevalence rates of cigarette smoking in Saudi Arabia, relatively little is known about the broader scope. The objectives of this study were to investigate socio-demographic factors, patterns of use and cessation behavior associated with smoking in Saudi Arabia (KSA). The study utilized a cross-sectional, multi-step design of sampling. Residents (N=1,497; aged 15 years and older) were recruited from seven administrative areas in Southwest Saudi Arabia. A pretested questionnaire was utilized to obtain data on participant cigarette smoking, including their daily use, age, education, income, marital status and employment status. The current study is the first of its kind to gather data cessation behavior of Saudi subjects. With the exception of 1.5% females, all the respondents were male. The majority of the respondents were married, had a university level of education, were employed, and were younger than 34 years old. The same trends were also observed among smokers' samples. The current prevalence of cigarette smoking was 49.2% and 65.7% of smokers had smoking at less than 18 years of age. The mean daily use amongst smokers was 7.98 cigarettes (SD=4.587). More than 50% of the study sample had tried at least once to quit smoking. However, 42% of the smokers participating had never. On the other hand, about 25% of the respondents were willing to consider quitting smoking in the future. Modeling of cigarette smoking suggested that the most significant independent predictors of smoking behavior were geographic area, gender, marital status, education, job and age. Considerable variation in smoking prevalence was noted related with participant sociodemographics. Findings recommend the necessity for control and intervention programs in Saudi community.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.16 no.15
• /
• pp.6741-6747
• /
• 2015

Background: Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of disease and death, including cancer, and quitting at an early age can reduce smoking-related morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and to identify factors affecting the "intention to quit" among intermediate and secondary school current cigarette smoker students in Al Madinah city, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This study cohort included 307 current smoker students in a school-based survey. The intention to quit and its related determinants were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. Results: More than half of the participants were ${\geq}17$ years, and of male gender (54.7%, 77.9% respectively). An intention to quit smoking was reported in 71.7% of participants, and was been significantly associated with: male gender (OR=3.25, 95% CI=1.65-6.41): age at 1st trial of smoking. 10-15 years (OR=2.11, 95% CI=1.03-4.32) along with age of ${\geq}15$ years (OR=3.10, 95% CI=1.20-7.88); days of smoking in the past 30 days (days <10 (OR=2.31, 95% CI=1.23-4.35) along with days ranging from 10-19 days (OR= 3.42, 95% CI=1.18-9.91); knowing that smoking is hazardous to health (OR=3.04, 95% CI=1.42-6.47); and finally, supporting smoking bans in public places (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.11-3.25). Conclusions: A substantial number of participants were willing to quit smoking. Effective interventions focusing on providing information about the hazards of smoking and prohibiting smoking in public places could help initiate the intention to quit among youth smokers.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.625-630
• /
• 2013

Background: Hardcore smoking is represented by a subset of daily smokers with high nicotine dependence, inability to quit and unwillingness to quit. Estimating the related burden could help us in identifying a high risk population prone to tobacco induced diseases and improve cessation planning for them. This study assessed the prevalence and associated factors of hardcore smoking in three South-East Asian countries and discussed its implication for smoking cessation intervention in this region. Materials and Methods: Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) data of India, Bangladesh and Thailand were analyzed to quantify the hardcore smoking prevalence in the region. On the basis of review, an operational definition of hardcore smoking was adopted that includes (1) current daily smoker, (2) no quit attempt in the past 12 months of survey or last quit attempt of less than 24 hours duration, (3) no intention to quit in next 12 months or not interested in quitting, (4) time to first smoke within 30 minutes of waking up, and (5) knowledge of smoking hazards. Logistic regression analysis was carried out using hardcore smoking status as response variable and gender, type of residence, occupation, education, wealth index and age-group as possible predictors. Results: There were 31.3 million hardcore smokers in the three Asian countries. The adult prevalence of hardcore smoking in these countries ranges between 3.1% in India to 6% in Thailand. These hardcore smokers constitute 18.3-29.7% of daily smokers. The logistic regression model indicated that age, gender, occupation and wealth index are the major predictors of hardcore smoking with varied influence across countries. Conclusions: Presence of a higher number of hardcore smoking populations in Asia is a major public health challenge for tobacco control and cancer prevention. There is need of intensive cessation interventions with due consideration of contextual predictors.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
• /
• v.5 no.3
• /
• pp.432-443
• /
• 2000

Smoking can increase oxidative stress and thereby change the antioxidant defense system in the body. Supplementation of antioxidant vitamins might improve antioxidant status in the body. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C supplementation and smoking cessation education on changes of antioxidant status and psychosocial factors related to smoking. To obtain above purposes, we investigated the effectiveness of intervention for male adolescent smokers were evalnate by assessing changes in dietary intakes, plasma antioxidant vitamin concentration, and psychosocial factors related to smoking after program completion. Subjects, male adolescent smokers, were assigned into four groups : Control group(19 students), Educ. group(19 students), Vit. C supple. group(19 students), and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group(19 students). The Educ. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group received nutrition and smoking cessation education once a week for 5 weeks. Vit. C suppl. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group received 500 mg per day of ascorbic acid for 35 days. All data were collected before and after intervention. Vit. B$_2$and Vit. C intakes of all groups were increased, but the only Ca intake was increased in the Educ. group. Plasma Vit. C concentration and Ratio(plasma Vit. C/Vit. C intakes) were increased in the Vit. C suppl. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group, and the Vit. C deficiency status of these groups(Vit. C suppl. group and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group) disappeared. Showing the effects of Vit. C supplementation, plasma $\alpha$-tocopherol was increased in the Educ. and Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group, and especially high increases were seen in the Educ.+Vit. C suppl. group. Psychosocial factors related to smoking changed after the education a little. This intervention program had an impact on nutrition intakes, plasma antioxidant vitamins, and some beliefs related to smoking in male adolescent students. Various programs of nutrition and smoking cessation education and vitamin supplementation for quitting smoking must be implemented for adolescent smokers, and further studies are needed regarding sorts and amount of antioxidant nutrients and supplementation periods.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.53 no.5
• /
• pp.381-386
• /
• 2020

Objectives: Few studies have been published regarding the relevance of the admission diagnosis to the smoking cessation rate. We studied smoking cessation rates in relation to admission diagnoses in our inpatient smoking cessation programmes. Methods: This retrospective study included all patients recruited into our inpatient smoking cessation programmes at 2 institutions in Singapore between June 2008 and December 2016. Patients were given individualized intensive counselling and were followed up via phone interviews for up to 6-month to assess their smoking status. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyse potential associations between admission diagnoses and 6-month abstinence. Results: A total of 7194 patients were included in this study. The mean age was 54.1 years, and 93.2% were male. In total, 1778 patients (24.7%) were abstinent at the 6-month follow-up call. Patients who quit smoking tended to be of Chinese ethnicity, have initiated smoking at a later age, be better educated, and have lower Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence scores. After adjusting for these factors, patients with a cardiovascular admission diagnosis had a significantly higher probability of quitting tobacco use than patients with a respiratory or other diagnosis. Conclusions: In patients acutely admitted to the hospital, a diagnosis of cardiovascular disease was associated with the highest quit rate. Smoking cessation interventions need to be incorporated into all cardiovascular disease treatment pathways to leverage the patient's motivation and to improve the quit rate. In addition, patients in groups with lower quit rates may benefit from more intensive programmes to increase the rate of successful cessation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.72 no.5
• /
• pp.426-432
• /
• 2012

Background: Varenicline is an effective smoking cessation aid. However, smokers prescribed with varenicline do not always receive varenicline for 12 weeks, as recommended. This study analyzed the subjects who received varenicline and investigated the effect of varenicline treatment duration on the success rate of 6-month smoking cessation. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed 78 subjects, who received varenicline, out of the 105 smokers that had visited the smoking cessation clinic after medical examination from September 2007 to December 2009. Results: The subjects were all males. Twenty-two subjects (28.2%) had varenicline treatment for 12 weeks or longer; 18 subjects (23.1%) for 8~12 weeks; 22 subjects (28.2%) for 4~8 weeks; and 16 subjects (20.5%) for less than 4 weeks. The total success rate of the 6-month smoking cessation was 47.4%. The success rate of the 6-month smoking cessation was 63.6% in the group that received varenicline for 12 weeks or longer, which was higher than 41.1% of the group that early terminated the varenicline treatment (p=0.074). The period of varenicline treatment was extended for one more week, the odds ratio of the 6-month smoking cessation success increased to 1.172-folds (p=0.004; 95% confidence interval, 1.052~1.305). Adverse events occurred in 30.8% of the subjects who received varenicline, but no serious adverse events were found. Conclusion: If varenicline treatment period is extended, the odds ratio of the success rate for the 6-month smoking cessation increases. Therefore, an effort to improve drug compliance for varenicline in clinical practices could be helpful for the long-term success of smoking cessation.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.31-40
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effect of a multi-component cessation program on bone union by comparing the union time between the experimental group and the control group. Methods: A non-equivalent control group posttest design was used. The subjects were 33 patients in the experimental group and 33 patients in the control group, 66 patients in total. The subjects of the experimental group were provided with a face-to-face multi-component smoking cessation program. After the discharge, telephone consultation was provided once a week for 10 weeks. Results: Bone union time was 51.6±10.9 days in the experimental group and 60.9±13.83 days in the control group (p=.003). Among 33 subjects who participated in the smoking cessation program, the average union period of the participants who succeeded in quitting smoking was 44.56 days, the participants who reduced smoking were 50.67 days, and failed to quit smoking group was 60.11 days (p=.006). Conclusion: This study indicated the importance of smoking cessation in patients with fracture and the decrease in the union time by providing smoking cessation education. If the multi-component smoking cessation program is used as a nursing intervention in clinical practice, it will be effective for bone union by increasing the smoking cessation rate of patients with fracture.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.292-302
• /
• 2008

- Abstract - Objectives: The purpose of this paper is to determine an efficient operation plan for a smoking cessation clinic in public health centers. To do so, the primary success factors in smoking cessation have been analyzed after classifying the smoking cessation programs of public health centers into urban and rural areas. Methods: A study was conducted with 262,837 smokers age 19 or older who were provided with smoking cessation services for more than 6 months through smoking cessation clinics at public health centers(250 clinics nationwide) from July 16, 2006 to July 15, 2007. Results: Urban areas indicated that gender, age, social security, the frequency of counseling, re-enrollment in the program, the number of cigarettes per day and alcohol problems were all factors that influenced the success of smoking cessation. On the other hand, in the rural areas the total number of counseling, re-enrollment in the program, the number of cigarettes per day and alcohol problems were the influential factors. Furthermore, the urban area confirmed that the frequency of counseling, re-enrollment in the program, the number of cigarettes per day and alcohol problems affected traveling while the rural area was affected by social security, the frequency of counseling and re-enrollment. Conclusions: It has been confirmed that the success rate and factors of smoking cessation clinics can vary depending on the region and enrollment method.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.11
• /
• pp.6875-6881
• /
• 2013

Background: Studies evaluating smoking cessation treatment outcomes in cancer patients are scarce, despite smoking cessation importance in cancer care. We sought to add to the literature by evaluating smoking cessation in a challenging group of cancer patients (medium-to-heavy smokers) visiting an out-patient smoking cessation clinic (SCC) in a cancer center in Amman, Jordan. Materials and Methods: Patients smoking >9 cigarettes per day (CPD) and referred to the SCC between June 2009 and May 2012 were studied. Clinic records were reviewed to measure demographic and baseline clinical characteristics, and longitudinal (3-, 6- and 12- month) follow-up by phone/clinic visit was conducted. At each follow-up, patients were asked if they experienced medication side-effects, if they had returned to smoking, and reasons for failing to abstain. Descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed. Results: A total of 201 smokers were included in the analysis. The 3-month abstinence was 23.4% and significantly associated with older age, being married, and presenting with lower (${\leq}10ppm$) baseline carbon monoxide (CO) levels. On a multivariable level, lower CO levels, a higher income (relative to the lowest income group), being older, and reporting severe dependence (relative to dependence reported as 'somewhat' or 'not') were significant predictors of higher odds of abstinence at three months. Reasons for failing to quit included not being able to handle withdrawal and seeing no value in quitting. Long-term ARs did not reach 7%. Conclusions: In a sample of Jordanian smokers (>9CPD) with cancer and receiving smoking cessation treatment, ARs were low and further declined with time. Results underscore the need for more aggressive patient management and rigorous follow-up during and after smoking cessation treatment, particularly when this takes place in challenging settings. Observed reasons for failure to abstain should be used to tailor counseling practices.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.1023-1029
• /
• 2014

Background: The purpose of our study was to elucidate the joint effects of combined smoking and alcohol intake on esophageal cancer mortality in Japanese men through a large cohort study with a 20-year follow-up period. Materials and Methods: The Japan Collaborative Cohort Study for Evaluation of Cancer Risk (JACC Study) was established in the late 1980s, including 46,395 men and 64,190 women aged 40 years and older and younger than 80. Follow-up of these participants was conducted until 2009. We used the Cox proportional hazards model to analyze data for 42,408 people excluding female participants, 411 people with histories of malignant neoplasms, and 3,576 with unclear smoking and drinking data. Results: The joint effects of age at start of smoking and amount of alcohol consumed per day were compared with non-smokers and non-drinkers or those consuming less than one unit of alcohol per day. The mortality risk was 9.33 (95% confidence interval, 2.55-34.2) for those who started smoking between ages 10 and 19 years and drinking at least three units of alcohol per day. Regarding the joint effects of cumulative amount of smoking and alcohol intake, the risk was high when both smoking and alcohol intake were above a certain level. Conclusions: In this Japanese cohort study, increased cancer mortality risks were observed, especially for people who both started smoking early and drank alcohol. Quitting smoking or not starting to smoke at any age and reducing alcohol consumption are important for preventing esophageal cancer in Japan.