Self-reported long-term smoking cessation in patients with respiratory disease: prediction of success and perception of health effects.
Smoking status of 372 patients with respiratory disease, who had been advised to quit smoking by a respiratory specialist, was assessed six months after the advice. A multiple logistic regression model was developed for prediction of successful abstinence. The patients were again followed four to seven years later. Questionnaires were returned by 160 patients (43.0%). Of the remaining patients, 27 (7.3%) had died, 12 (3.2%) refused to participate, 53 (14.2%) had no current address available and 120 (32.3%) did not return questionnaires mailed to them. Among the respondents, 31.9% reported at least one year of abstinence from cigarettes, 63.1% were still smoking and 5.0% had quit smoking for periods of less than one year. While the original logistic model was not very useful for predicting long-term success (69.7% accuracy of classification), a model that included, as predictors, six-month smoking status and reasons for smoking other than addiction, was more useful (78.9% accuracy). At follow-up, successful abstainers reported improvement in their respiratory condition but no differences were found in reported symptoms or emotional well-being when they were compared to those who continued to smoke. Treatment implications of these results are discussed and include offers of alternative treatments if short-term abstinence is not achieved following physician advice.
Pederson
L L
LL
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
Wanklin
J M
JM
Lefcoe
N M
NM
D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors