title: [Anti-smoking counseling in a group of workers with past exposure to asbestos].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-smoking counseling is often part of healthcare protocols for workers with past asbestos exposure; nevertheless, data is lacking about the results.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate smoking habits and the effects of anti-smoking counseling in a group of workers with past asbestos exposure.
  
  
  METHODS
  Smoking was assessed in 671 subjects who voluntarily attended a health surveillance protocol. Fagerstrom's and Richmond's tests were used in order to estimate smokers' addiction and their potential will to quit. Besides anti-smoking counseling, smokers were also offered a formal cessation programme.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 671 subjects was 66 (DS = 7,9) years. The population consisted of 87 (13%) current smokers, 372 (55%) ex-smokers and 212 (32%) non smokers. According to Fagerstrom's test results, only 10% of the smokers presented a strong/very strong addiction, while Richmond's test results showed that 50% of the smokers had a strong/very strong will to quit. Only one smoker decided to join a cessation programme.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of the study could present a bias, because volunteer-based protocols may promote the participation of self-motivated and health-sensitive subjects. This could be one of the reasons for the low prevalence of current smokers and high prevalence of ex-smokers. Anti-smoking counseling did not produce satisfactory effects because smokers were resistant to quitting smoking. Identification of anti-smoking counseling weak points may improve efficacy in health prevention controls made on subjects with past asbestos exposure.
authors: U.C.O. Medicina del Lavoro, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Ospedali Riuniti di Trieste". fladagostin@yahoo.it
authors: Flavia
authors: F
authors: D'Agostin
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Negro
authors: Giulia
authors: G
authors: Barbati
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: De Zotti
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001194:Asbestos / Q000633:toxicity*; D001195:Asbestosis / Q000209:etiology; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012907:Smoking / Q000523:psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D001194:Asbestos