The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: In our country there is not only a high prevalence of smoking in the general population, but also in healthcare professionals. We evaluated the effectiveness of a comprehensive smoking cessation programme addressed to healthcare professionals in our area who wanted to quit.

Methods: 83 smokers came to our clinic to give up smoking between April 2002 -December 2004. We offered a programme with 7 visits and 2 phone calls. Factors analysed were: age, gender, job, motivation, dependence, quantity smoked, CO expired, previous attempts. Also if they considered active and passive smoking to be harmful and if they lived or worked with smokers. Compliance, weight gain, presence of respiratory diseases, treatment used, side-effects and one-year abstinence were also measured.

Results: mean age 43 years old (24-61), 84.3% were female . Nurses 53%, physicians 14.5%, other professions 32.5%. Background of depression and or anxiety 32.5%. Richmond 8.3, Fagerström 5.3. 85.5% worked with smokers while only 47% lived with them. Active smoking was considered very harmful while passive smoking was considered to be less so. Packs-year smoked 24 (4-80), CO expired 19 p.p.m, previous attempts 2.3. Compliance was fair 2.6 visits, weight gain 4.3 kgr (0-12), 2.1% had chronic respiratory diseases. Bupropion was mainly used alone or associated with nicotine replacement treatment. 15.7% had side effects. 38.6% gave up smoking (one-year abstinence).

Our results support the need to provide healthcare professionals with a comprehensive smoking cessation programme in order to reduce their smoking prevalence.