Profile of smokers seeking a smoking cessation program

Abstract

To evaluate the characteristics of smokers seeking treatment in public smoking cessation program ’’STOP FUMAT”. We made a retrospective evaluation of data collected during the interview for enrollment in the smoking cessation program. The participants completed questionnaires related to smoking history, history of psychiatric disorders, depression, anxiety and history of comorbidities; demographic variables (age, gender, ethnicity, education), body weight and measures of nicotine dependence were made. Between January of 2009 and January of 2010, 527 smokers were evaluated and received individual counseling. More than half of the subjects had high degree of nicotine level, comorbidities, were female with a mean age of 50 years. Smokers seeking assistance for smoking cessation were socially disadvantaged, presented a high degree of nicotine dependence and had previously made smoking-cessation attempts without the benefit of a structured program. Smoking control interventions should take into consideration the general characteristics of the smokers treated via the public health care system.