Evaluation of nicotine dependence level and factors affecting the success of smoking cessation in an outpatient clinic

Abstract

AIM: We aimed to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of those who applied to the smoking cessation outpatient clinic and to determine the factors affecting their smoking cessation success. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 97 people who applied to Başkent University Hospital Family Medicine Smoking Cessation Outpatient Clinic between May 2019 and May 2020 were included in the descriptive cross-sectional study. A questionnaire form including demographic characteristics and smoking history, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were applied to the participants. A pulmonary function test was performed; carbon monoxide (CO) and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels were measured of the participants. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 42.9 ± 11.9, and 56.7% (n = 55) were male. The average number of cigarettes smoked daily was 23.2 ± 10.6, and the duration was 23.2 ± 11.7 years. FTND scores of the participants were determined as 14.4% (n = 14) very low, 18.6% (n = 18) low, 22.7% (n = 22) medium, 21.6% (n = 21) high, and 22.7% (n = 22) very high. The mean of FTND score was 5.4 ± 2.5, and the mean of CO and COHb levels was 11.2 ± 7.0 and 2.4 ± 1.1, respectively (r = 0.345, P = 0.001; r = 0.342, P = 0.001). A positive correlation was found between the FTND and HDS scores of participants and observed that depression scores increased as the level of nicotine addiction increased (r = 0.303, P = 0.003). Finally, 54.6% (n = 53) of the applicants were a quitter. There was a significant relationship between smoking cessation success and the number of drug boxes used in pharmacotherapy (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION: In this study, the most critical factor affecting smoking cessation success is ensuring that pharmacotherapy is completed within the recommended treatment period.