title: Cessation assistance reported by smokers in 15 countries participating in the International Tobacco Control (ITC) policy evaluation surveys.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe some of the variability across the world in levels of quit smoking attempts and use of various forms of cessation support.
  
  
  METHODS
  Use of the International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project surveys of smokers, using the 2007 survey wave (or later, where necessary).
  
  
  METHODS
  Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Ireland, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, Uruguay and United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  Samples of smokers from 15 countries.
  
  
  METHODS
  Self-report on use of cessation aids and on visits to health professionals and provision of cessation advice during the visits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Prevalence of quit attempts in the last year varied from less than 20% to more than 50% across countries. Similarly, smokers varied greatly in reporting visiting health professionals in the last year (<20% to over 70%), and among those who did, provision of advice to quit also varied greatly. There was also marked variability in the levels and types of help reported. Use of medication was generally more common than use of behavioural support, except where medications are not readily available.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is wide variation across countries in rates of attempts to stop smoking and use of assistance with higher overall use of medication than behavioural support. There is also wide variation in the provision of brief advice to stop by health professionals.
authors: The Cancer Council Victoria, Carlton, Victoria, Australia. ron.borland@cancervic.org.au
authors: Ron
authors: R
authors: Borland
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Pete
authors: P
authors: Driezen
authors: Nick
authors: N
authors: Wilson
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Hammond
authors: Mary E
authors: ME
authors: Thompson
authors: Geoffrey T
authors: GT
authors: Fong
authors: Ute
authors: U
authors: Mons
authors: Marc C
authors: MC
authors: Willemsen
authors: Ann
authors: A
authors: McNeill
authors: James F
authors: JF
authors: Thrasher
authors: K Michael
authors: KM
authors: Cummings
mesh_terms: D001208:Asia / Q000453:epidemiology; D044362:Australasia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003431:Cross-Cultural Comparison; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D015277:Hotlines / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009656:North America / Q000453:epidemiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011640:Public Policy; D057566:Self Report; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D061485:Tobacco Use Cessation Devices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014583:Uruguay / Q000453:epidemiology