2009, Number 1
Factors determining patient entrance into a quit smoking program
Méndez GM, Urdapilleta HE, Sansores RH, Lara RG, Ramírez-Venegas A, Regalado PJ, Hernández ZR
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Language: Spanish
References: 9
Page: 7-13
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ABSTRACT
Objective: To evaluate some factors, such as socioeconomic status and home geographic location, as elements that may make a smoker who visit the Quit Tobacco Clinic decides to enter into our institutional stop-smoking treatment, in the light of the reported current success.Material and methods: We used data from subjects living in Mexico City who attended the Clinic for Help to Quit Smoking during the period 2006-2008. Statistical analysis was performed using the chi-squared test.
Results: Our results showed that among the 1,279 subjects who sought admission to the quit smoking program, only 42% indeed took the treatment, whereas 57.5% did not. Concerning the socioeconomic level, 55% were classified as middle, 40% low, and 5% high. Through the statistical analysis comparing those who joined the program and those who did not we found that socioeconomic classification was a determinant for registration (p = 0.03). By contrast, subject’s home geographic location was not a determinant for registration (p = 0.46).
Conclusions: A significant number of smokers who ask for information to stop tobacco habit do not register to any treatment program. According to results obtained in this study, the socioeconomic level but not the distance between the subject’s home and the Clinic, is a determining factor. This poses the need for a national campaign of awareness and motivation, but also claims for a clear reflection to make treatments more accessible to the general public.
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