Long term follow up of patients attending tobacco cessation clinics in Malta
| Author(s)
Philip Dingli, Erika Caraki, Dorianne Farrugia, Bettina Gauci, Patrick Galea, Anne Buttigieg and Charmaine Gauci
| | Presenter(s) |
Dr Philip Dingli Trainee in Acute Medicine, Mater Dei Hospital, Malta | Abstract Aim:
To study the long term success rates of Tobacco Cessation Clinics.
Method:
Subjects were randomly selected from tobacco cessation clinics attendance sheets. A telephone questionnaire was carried out. Quit status was verified using CO monitoring. Results were analysed using SPSS.
Results:
280 subjects were randomly selected, 130 were contactable. 53.5% were female and the mean age was 50 years. 38% had managed to quit during the course. 4.67 years was the mean time since the course. At follow up 25% were still non-smokers. Quit status was verified by CO monitoring in 64% of cases. 90.8% had attended more then one session, 50% had attended all sessions. 42% of cases had chosen a quit date during the course. 36.5% had used pharmacotherapy and 16% of these used it for three months. The fagerstrom scale, prevalence of depression, presence of relatives/colleagues/friends who smoke, use of pharmacotherapy or age did not vary significantly between quitters and non-quitters (p>0.05).
Conclusion:
Quit rates during smoking cessation courses are in line with NHS targets despite the poor use of pharmacotherapy. The quit rate drops significantly during long term follow up. Further studies are needed to identify the issues leading to this.
| Source of funding: None
| Declaration of interest: None
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