A sudden surge in outpatient volume of the smoking cessation clinic after the implementation of Beijing tobacco control regulation

Abstract

Background Smoke-free policy could promote the smokers to quit. From June 1 st 2015, Beijing Tobacco Control Regulation, which was the most strict tobacco control regulation in China mainland, was implemented. This study was to investigate the impact of implementation of Beijing Tobacco Control Regulation on outpatient volume of smoking cessation clinic and the seasonal variations of the outpatients volume of smoking cessation clinic,in order to provide evidence for decision-making in increasing the outpatient volume of smoking cessation clinic in China mainland. Methods Before and after the implementation of Beijing Tobacco Control Regulation (June 1 st ,2015), the outpatient volume of smoking cessation clinic in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital , which was the first smoking cessation clinic set up in 1996 and has hold the largest out-patient consultations annually in China mainland, was analyzed. Time series seasonal index method was used to analyze seasonal variations in the outpatient volume. Results From 2012 to 2016, the outpatient volume of smoking cessation clinic in Beijing Chaoyang Hospital was gradually increasing every year. The largest increase was found in 2016 (1405 outpatients), in which the outpatient volume rose 82.1 percent from 2015, and reached 3.1 times of that in 2012. There were significant differences both in outpatient volume and in return visit ratio between before and after the implementation (all P< 0.001). In average, the peaks of outpatient volume appeared in March, June, August, September, and December, whereas the troughs appeared in January, February, April, May, July, and November. [Monthly variation of outpatient volume of smoking ] Conclusions Since Beijing Tobacco Control Regulation implemented, the number of outpatients and return visit of the smoking cessation clinic have increased significantly. With regard to the seasonal variation in the outpatient volume, the government should strengthen publicity of smoking cessation in winter and spring to avoid the decline in the outpatient volume.

Keywords

• WCTOH