title: Does change in perception following counseling result in improved quitting outcome among Malaysian smokers?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The authors examined the effects that change in perception about the advantages and disadvantages of smoking and quitting had on quitting outcome among smokers enrolled in a program for smoking cessation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 185 smokers from 2 public universities who were interested in quitting received smoking cessation counseling on understanding the risks and benefits of quitting (or smoking) in addition to a course of free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). A decisional balance questionnaire (DBQ) was administered at baseline and at 2 months postcounseling to determine and assess changes in smoking perception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After counseling, 72.3% of smokers had reduced their perceptions about the advantages of smoking, and 66.4% had increased perceptions of disadvantages of smoking. At the eighth week, 51 participants (27%) had quit. Smokers who had reduced perceptions of the advantages of smoking had significantly higher quit rates compared with those with no improvement in perception (82.6% vs 17.4%; odds ratio = 2.47; 95% confidence interval = 1.00-6.10).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After counseling, smokers did change their perception of the advantages and disadvantages of smoking during the quitting process. These changes are associated with a higher likelihood of smoking cessation.
authors.affiliation: University of Technology MARA, Selangor, Malaysia University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia sitimu.yasin@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Siti Munira
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yasin
authors.affiliation: University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Retneswari
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masilamani
authors.affiliation: University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Moy Foong
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Ming
authors.affiliation: National University of Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koh
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D003376:Counseling / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012306:Risk; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult