rds019392Background

In Korea, nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) has been widely used in government-led, public health center-based smoking cessation services since 2004 and varenicline has become available from 2007 but without reimbursement. In this study which used a series of nationwide cross-sectional surveys in Korea performed from 2005 to 2011, we examined the prevalence of smoking cessation medication use and factors associated with it.

Methods

We analysed data from the third to fifth waves of Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2005–2011). Prevalence of each smoking cessation method use was calculated for each year, and its secular trend was tested by multivariate logistic regression.

Results

Among smokers who made quit attempt during the previous year, 15.7% had used smoking cessation medications,15.3% had used NRT, and 0.7% had used prescription medication. There was a significant increasing trend for NRT use (P<0.001) during the study period, but use of prescription medication did not show any increase over time (P = 0.654) Education on smoking prevention and cessation was associated with smoking cessation medications use (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.58–2.75).

Conclusions

While the use of NRT has increased over years through government-sponsored smoking cessation programs, use of prescription drugs remained very low and flat probably due to lack of reimbursement. Education of smokers about effective smoking cessation methods and change in reimbursement policy are suggested to stimulate evidence-based smoking cessation practice.

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culs094443Objective
Hospitalised smokers are often highly motivated to quit and receptive to assistance. There are few published accounts of hospital-based smoking cessation programmes implemented outside of a trial setting, particularly outside North America. We describe the implementation and effectiveness of a dedicated smoking cessation service in Freiburg, Germany.

Methods
Measures of implementation (e.g. number of patients referred and consenting to participate, receipt of post-discharge support) and effectiveness are presented.

Results
In the first 2 years of the service, 1432 patients were referred. Over half (55.3%) of counselled smokers agreed to participate. Sustained abstinence for 6 months was achieved by 28.0% (missing cases coded as smokers), whereas 7-day point prevalence rates were between 30 and 35% at 3, 6 and 12 months. Those who received 4+ post-discharge calls were more likely to achieve sustained abstinence, as were older smokers, those with higher self-efficacy, and cardiovascular patients.

Conclusion
Hospitalised patients in Germany are receptive to the offer of bedside counselling and to phone support post-discharge, and success rates are comparable to those achieved in other countries.

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tt0242308Background:
Symptoms of depression may be an independent contributor to continued smoking during pregnancy. Depressed persons may smoke in order to immediately ameliorate their sense of well-being or as a quick reward, which makes it harder for them to quit smoking compared to non-depressed persons.

Objective:
We want to explore the association of depressive symptoms with smoking in a longitudinal study and to identify characteristics that predict the risk of continued smoking during pregnancy and in postpartum.

Methods:
An observational, prospective, non-interventional study was performed.
Data of 605 women were collected between September 2008 and December 2010 at two moments during pregnancy (before 16 weeks and between 32 and 34 weeks pregnancy) and at one moment postpartum (after 6 weeks PP) on the participants’ smoking behavior and of their partners. Feelings of depression using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), level of education and socio-demographic variables were registered.

Results:
Smokers overall reported significantly more symptoms of depression compared to non-smokers and recent ex-smokers.
Lower educated pregnant smokers reported more feelings of dysphoria than smokers with a higher education.
BDI-score ≥ 15, respondent’s age < 29 year, having a smoking partner, a lower education and no paid job indicated a tendency toward continued smoking during pregnancy and postpartum.

Conclusions:
Smokers reported more symptoms of depression compared to recent ex-smokers and non-smokers, independently of education. This means that smoking cessation does not aggravate depressive symptoms.

Smoking behavior of the partner was the most important predictor of smoking behavior of the pregnant woman.
Paying attention to depressive symptoms and offering adapted stop-smoking advice to lower educated pregnant women and their smoking partners might reduce the prevalence of smoking among pregnant and postpartum women.

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tt6200265Abstract
Residential treatment for substance use disorders (SUD) provides opportunity for smoking intervention. A randomized controlled trial compared: (1) motivational interviewing (MI) to brief advice (BA), (2) in one session or with two booster sessions, for 165 alcoholics in SUD treatment. All received nicotine replacement (NRT). MI and BA produced equivalent confirmed abstinence, averaging 10% at 1 month, and 2% at 3, 6 and 12 months. However, patients with more drug use pretreatment (> 22 days in 6 months) given BA had more abstinence at 12 months (7%) than patients in MI or with less drug use (all 0%). Boosters produced 16–31% fewer cigarettes per day after BA than MI. Substance use was unaffected by treatment condition or smoking cessation. Motivation to quit was higher after BA than MI. Thus, BA plus NRT may be a cost-effective way to reduce smoking for alcoholics with comorbid substance use who are not seeking smoking cessation.

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rds184268Introduction to the study: Tobacco smoking is the main cause of preventable death worldwide with about 5 million deaths each year. Nicotine is the principal addictive component of tobacco smoke and works in the brain by interaction with the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor has a special relevance because it triggers an increased dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens after nicotine intake, thereby modulating the reward system. Many studies have shown a genetic determination of nicotine dependence and an association between genetic variants of certain nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (e.g. the CHRNA4 SNP rs1044396) and nicotine dependence.

The event-related EEG-potential P300 is a marker for cortical function. A reduction of the P300 amplitude was shown for smokers and for people with other psychiatric disorders. (more…)

spl019158Introduction:

Smoking is an escalating public health problem in a developing country like India. WHO has recently introduced as fourth global health threat (1). Cigarette smoking is a dominant annually risk factor for premature or accelerated peripheral, coronary and cerebral atherosclerosis vascular disease. In the present study an attempt has been made to find out the effect of smoking on lipids profile in healthy smokers. Results are compared with that of same age groups healthy non smokers.

Aims:

1. To study alteration in lipid profile in healthy smokers and compare the same with lipid profile of non-smokers.
2. To find out correlation between the numbers of cigarette smoked to the degree of alteration in profile in different age group.
3. To relate lipid profile alteration with duration of smoking.
4. To find risk stratification on the basis of dyslipidemia in smokers.
Material and Method: The present study was carried out at B .J. Medical College, Civil Hospital Ahmedabad. The period of study was June 2012 to December 2012.Healthy smokers were selected mainly from hospital staff and relatives of patients of civil hospital Ahmedabad. A total 130 cases were studied for estimation of lipid profile.

Conclusion:

In the present study age wise prevalence of smoking is maximum in 30- 39 years group. Smoking causes alteration in lipid profile and risk of cardiovascular diseases. Amount and duration of smoking also influence dyslipidemia. The rapid reduction in risks of cardiac events after cessation of smoking implies that policies that prevent and reduce smoking will have large benefits for reducing cardiovascular mortality.

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culs116823Objective:

To explore disadvantaged former miners’ perspectives in north Derbyshire, United Kingdom (UK) on smoking and smoking cessation.

Methods:

In-depth, audiotaped interviews with 16 disadvantaged former miners who smoked or had stopped smoking within six months.

Results:

Perceptions of being able to stop smoking with minimal difficulty and without support appeared common, despite most participants having previously made unsuccessful quit attempts. Smoking was often viewed as being less risky than coal mining. Smoke-free legislation appeared to be perceived as a threat to local social capital.

Conclusions:

Former miners in disadvantaged communities may attempt to stop smoking in response to illness, but persuading them to stop smoking before they develop ill health perhaps requires health educators to directly engage with significant local factors. These issues may include the benefits and availability of support in quitting, epidemiological concerns in determining smoking-related harm and a perceived threat to local social capital posed by smoke-free legislation.

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tt0142313An observational study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for smoking cessation, and determine predictors for successful quitters. Smokers received at least 6 sessions of body acupuncture provided by Chinese medicine practitioners and initiated self-administered auricular acupuncture. We determined self-report 26-week and 52-week quit rates by intention-to-treat analysis and examined predictors for successful quitting by univariate and multivariate analyses.

A total of 1002 smokers were recruited; 26-week and 52-week quit rates were 16.8% and 15.8%, respectively. Male sex, older age, lower nicotine dependence level, and number of body acupuncture and counseling sessions received were associated with successful quitting. A multiple logistic regression model showed that sex, nicotine dependence level, and number of body acupuncture sessions received were predictors for successful quitting. Body and auricular acupuncture is effective in smoking cessation and should be considered as an alternative to help smokers in quitting, especially for those whose past attempts using conventional methods were in vain.

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phins010249The disease burden due to non-communicable and chronic diseases is on the rise in India. Smoking is a well established and most preventable risk factor. As demonstrated in various parts of the world, change in the behaviour toward smoking would hold key to its control and cessation. Using a cross-sectional descriptive study, data were collected from three major Indian states for analyzing the predictors of smoking cessation in Indian men.

The article analyses smoking behavior of former and current smokers who attempted and never attempted quitting. Socioeconomic status, age at initiation and duration of smoking were significantly associated with type of smokers. Three factors, namely, psychological dependence, emotional dependence and behavioral dependence explained variance up to 58%. Compared to health and cost issues (5.7% each), concern for children (9.8%) was reported more as a reason behind cessation by successful quitters.

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etsa010048Objective: to investigate what factors the parents of children in low income areas of Auckland, New Zealand, thought could help protect their children from smoking initiation.

Method: Participants in a large quasi-experimental trial that tested a community-, school-, and family based smoking initiation intervention were asked in a questionnaire “What could we do to help you protect your children from smoke and taking up smoking?

Free-text responses were divided into distinct meaning units and categorised independently by two of the researchers. Result: 1806 (70% of parents who returned the questionnaire) completed the question. The majority of respondents (80%) were either Pacific Island or Māori mothers and 25% were current smokers. Six main categories of suggested strategies for preventing smoking initiation were identified: building children’s knowledge of the ill-effects of smoking, reducing access to tobacco, denormalising smoking, health promotion activities, and increasing schools’ monitoring of smoking.

The most common suggestion was to educate children about smoking Discussion: Building children’s knowledge of smoking risks was the main strategy parents proposed. There was some support for banning smoking in most public areas and for tougher moves to stop tobacco sales to minors. Few parents suggested innovative or radical strategies, such as banning the sale of tobacco, fining children for smoking, or use of competitions.

So what: To ensure reductions in smoking initiation for lower socio-economic and Māori and Pacific Island people, further research should engage Māori, Pacific Island and lower socio-economic parents in a process that elicits innovative thinking about culturally acceptable strategies.

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