Lung India (Jan 2012)

Clinico-epidemiological profile of tobacco users attending a tobacco cessation clinic in a teaching hospital in Bangalore city

  • George D′Souza,
  • Dorothy P Rekha,
  • Priya Sreedaran,
  • K Srinivasan,
  • Prem K Mony

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-2113.95314
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 29, no. 2
pp. 137 – 142

Abstract

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Background: Tobacco-attributable mortality in India is estimated to be at least 10%. Tobacco cessation is more likely to avert millions of deaths before 2050 than prevention of tobacco use initiation. Objective: To describe the clinico-epidemiological profile of attendees of a tobacco cessation clinic in a teaching hospital in Bangalore city. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study of 189 attendees seen over 2 years in the Tobacco Cessation Clinic of a tertiary-care teaching hospital in Bangalore, with information on socio demographic characteristics, tobacco-use details, nicotine dependence, family/medical history, past quit attempts, baseline stage-of-change, and treatment initiated. Results: Only 5% were ′walk-in′ patients; 98% of attendees were smokers; 97% were males. The mean (±SD) age of attendees was 48.0 (±14.0) years. Most participants were married (88%), and predominantly urban (69%). About 62% had completed at least 8 years of schooling. Two-thirds of smokers reported high levels of nicotine dependence (Fagerström score >5/10). About 43% of patients had attempted quitting earlier. Four-fifths (79%) of tobacco-users reported a family member using tobacco. Commonly documented comorbidities included: Chronic respiratory disease (44%), hypertension (23%), diabetes (12%), tuberculosis (9%), myocardial infarction (2%), stroke (1%), sexual dysfunction (1%) and cancer (0.5%). About 52% reported concomitant alcohol use. At baseline, patients′ motivational stage was: Precontemplation (14%), contemplation (48%), preparation/action (37%) and maintenance (1%). Treatment modalities started were: Counseling alone (41%), nicotine replacement therapy alone (NRT) (34%), medication alone (13%), and NRT+medication (12%). Conclusions: This is the first study of the baseline profile of patients attending a tobacco cessation clinic located within a chest medicine department in India. Important determinants of outcome have been captured for follow-up and prospective documentation of outcomes.

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