Study finds significant predictors for successfully quitting smoking

In the current issue of Family Medicine and Community Health (Volume 6,Number 4, 2018; DOI: https://doi.org/10.15212/FMCH.2018.0123, Nur Izzati Mohammad, Selasawati Ghazali and Mohd Nazri Shafei of the Department of Community Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia and Hospital Raja Perempuan Zainab 2, Kota Bharu, Malaysia consider how cigarette smoking is one of the risk factors leading to noncommunicable diseases such as cardiovascular and respiratory system diseases and cancer.

Quitting smoking is difficult for many people and may involve multiple attempts. A quit smoking clinic is designed to assist smokers with tobacco dependence to quit smoking. There are many factors that contribute to successfully quitting smoking. The present study found that from a total of 202 respondents who attended the clinic, 42.6% of them successfully quit smoking. In addition, the number of cigarettes smoked per day and a previous quit attempt were significant predictors for successfully quitting smoking. These findings should be taken into consideration in interventions for smokers who wish to quit smoking.