The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and factors associated with smoking cessation with nicotine gums or buproprion in Seychelles, a middle-income island state in the African region

Methods: Participants included 45 smokers who responded to an advertisement for cessation. Participants received counselling for up to 6 months and a review was made at 12 months. In addition, participants were given nicotine gums (Nicorette 2/4 mg, up to 15 gums per day) or buproprion (Zyban, 300 mg daily) for up to 3 months. Medications were chosen according to patients' preference. Smokers lost to follow-up were considered as relapse. Exhaled carbon monoxide was measured and levels <5 ppm were considered as negative.

Results: 34 men and 11 women participated, mean age of 48 (SD=11) years. Nicotine gums were chosen by 31 participants (68.9%) and bupropion by 14 (31.1 %). At 3, 6 and 12 months, the cessation rates were respectively 44% (95% CI: 29-59), 31% (17-45) and 24% (11-37). Quit rate tended to be higher with gums than pills (29% vs. 14% at 12 months). Health concerns and cost reasons were main reasons for smokers to join the program (respectively 80% and 35%).

Conclusion: Quit rate with counselling and medication reached 24% at 12 months, which is consistent with findings in other similar studies. Our findings suggest that long-term support should be provided to sustain cessation rate over time. Our data support the proposition of making the program available to smokers on a regular basis in Seychelles