Abstract

Nearly 40% of the Turkish adults are smoking and every year 100.000 lose their lives due to the problems caused by smoking. In this study we aimed to assess both the general features of patients who have stopped smoking at least for a year and the factors that might have caused them stop smoking. Of 3342 patients (1085 male- 2257 female) 135 (90 male -45 female) who had stopped smoking, admitting to the family practice outpatient polyclinic of Baskent University Adana Hospital were recruited in the study. They were reviewed for gender, age, any smoker in the family, education, duration of tobacco exposure and number of attemps for smoking cessation. 25% of women and 10,5% of men gave no reason for smoking cessation. 30% of women and 58,9% of men declared a physician advice or a personel health problem for cessation. 45% of women and 24,4% percent of men stated media and anti smoking campaigns as their reason for smoking cessation. For our study population anti smoking campaigns and media together with a health problem and physician advice seem to be main predictors of smoking cessation and doctors must play an important role on the issue.

Key words: Smoking, smoking cessation, smoking prevention

Article Language: Turkish English