title: Characteristics of smokers enrolled in a public smoking cessation program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the characteristics of smokers seeking treatment in a public smoking cessation program.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective evaluation of data collected during the interview for enrollment in the smoking cessation program of the Smoking Outpatient Clinic of the Paulista State University School of Medicine in the city of Botucatu, Brazil, between April of 2003 and April of 2007. Demographic variables; previous use of the behavioral approach, medications or alternative treatments for smoking cessation; degree of nicotine dependence; and history of comorbidities were evaluated in 387 smokers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our sample, 63% of the smokers were female. The mean age of the subjects was 50 + or - 25 years. More than half of the subjects (61%) had up to eight years of schooling, and 66% had a monthly income of less than twice the national minimum wage. The degree of nicotine dependence was high/very high in 59%, medium in 17% and low/very low in 24% of the subjects. Although 95% of the patients presented comorbidities, only 35% had been referred to the program by a physician. More than half of the subjects (68%) had made at least one smoking-cessation attempt, 83% of whom did so without the help of a structured program.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smokers seeking assistance for smoking cessation were socially disadvantaged, presented a high degree of nicotine dependence and had previously made smoking-cessation attempts without the benefit of a structured program. Therefore, in order to be effective, smoking control interventions should take into consideration the general characteristics of the smokers treated via the public health care system.
authors.affiliation: Botucatu School of Medicine, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, Brazil. laucaram@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Laura Miranda de Oliveira
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Caram
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.forename: Suzana Erico
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Tanni
authors.forename: Liana Sousa
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Coelho
authors.forename: Ilda de
authors.initials: Id
authors.lastname: Godoy
authors.forename: Rosana dos Santos e Silva
authors.initials: Rdos S
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.forename: Irma de
authors.initials: Id
authors.lastname: Godoy
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; D017150:Public Sector; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult