title: Information and communication technologies for approaching smokers: a descriptive study in primary healthcare.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Common interventions for smoking cessation are based on medical advice and pharmacological aid. Information and communication technologies may be helpful as interventions by themselves or as complementary tools to quit smoking. The objective of the study was to determine the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the smoking population attended in primary care, and describe the major factors associated with its use.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive observational study in 84 health centres in Cataluña, Aragon and Salamanca. We included by simple random sampling 1725 primary healthcare smokers (any amount of tobacco) aged 18-85. Through personal interview professionals collected Socio-demographic data and variables related with tobacco consumption and ICTs use were collected through face to face interviews Factors associated with the use of ICTs were analyzed by logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Users of at least one ICT were predominantly male, young (18-45 years), from most favoured social classes and of higher education. Compared with non-ICTs users, users declared lower consumption of tobacco, younger onset age, and lower nicotine dependence. The percentages of use of email, text messages and web pages were 65.3%, 74.0% and 71.5%, respectively. Factors associated with the use of ICTs were age, social class, educational level and nicotine dependence level. The factor most closely associated with the use of all three ICTs was age; mainly individuals aged 18-24.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of ICTs to quit smoking is promising, with the technology of mobile phones having a broader potential. Younger and more educated subjects are good targets for ICTs interventions on smoking cessation.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Barcelona Ciudad, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Atención Primaria Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), C/ Sardenya, 375, entresol, 08025, Barcelona, Spain. cardiocat@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puigdomènech
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Barcelona Ciudad, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Atención Primaria Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), C/ Sardenya, 375, entresol, 08025, Barcelona, Spain. aplaceinheaven@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jose-Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Trujillo-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Barcelona Ciudad, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Atención Primaria Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), C/ Sardenya, 375, entresol, 08025, Barcelona, Spain. carlos.martin@uab.cat.|Centre d' Atenció Primaria Passeig de Sant Joan, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain. carlos.martin@uab.cat.|Departament of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. carlos.martin@uab.cat.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Martín-Cantera
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Atenció Primaria La Sagrera, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain. lauradige@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Díaz-Gete
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Atenció Primaria Horta 7F, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain. mmanzano.bcn.ics@gencat.cat.
authors.forename: Mónica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Manzano-Montero
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Barcelona Ciudad, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Atención Primaria Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), C/ Sardenya, 375, entresol, 08025, Barcelona, Spain. jsanchezfondevila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Fondevila
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Atenció Primaria Navarcles, Barcelona, Spain. ygonzalez.cc.ics@gencat.cat.
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Fernandez
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Atenció Primaria Navarcles, Barcelona, Spain. bgarcia.cc.ics@gencat.cat.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Garcia-Rueda
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Barcelona Ciudad, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Atención Primaria Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), C/ Sardenya, 375, entresol, 08025, Barcelona, Spain. elena.m.briones@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elena-Mercedes
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Briones-Carrió
authors.affiliation: Centro Sanitario Santo Grial (Huesca), Grupo Aragonés de Investigación en Atención Primaria, Asociación para la Prevención del Tabaquismo en Aragón (APTA), Aragón, Spain. lclementej@iservicesmail.com.
authors.forename: Ma-Lourdes
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Clemente-Jiménez
authors.affiliation: La Alamedilla Health Centre, Castilla y León, Health Service-SACYL, redIAPP, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain. ccsanchez77@usal.es.
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Castaño
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Soporte a la Investigación Barcelona Ciudad, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Atención Primaria Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), C/ Sardenya, 375, entresol, 08025, Barcelona, Spain. joanbirules@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Joan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Birulés-Muntané
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D058015:Health Communication / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult