title: Outcome of tobacco cessation in workplace and clinic settings: A comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Several biological, social, and cultural factors contribute to the poor outcome of tobacco cessation interventions. Inability to engage large number of participants is one of the major identifiable factors. The objective of this study was to compare the outcome of tobacco cessation interventions in the clinical and workplace settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we recruited 100 participants in tobacco cessation clinic (TCC) group and workplace group (50 participants in each). Both the groups were regularly intervened and were followed up regularly at 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. Active interventions in the form of awareness lectures, focused group discussions, and if needed, pharmacotherapy (nicotine/non-nicotine replacement therapy) was carried out for all participants. The outcome was assessed as no change, harm reduction (>50% reduction), complete cessation, and drop out. Statistical analysis of the data was done using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 21.0.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At the end of 1 month, there was higher tobacco cessation rate in the workplace group versus TCC group (n= 22, 44% vsn= 9, 18%;P< 0.0001). The tobacco cessation rate was maintained even after 6 months of intervention (n= 30, 60% vsn= 12, 24%;P= 0.002) and dropout rate was also lower among the workplace group than the TCC group (n= 14, 28% vsn= 27, 54%;P< 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study findings suggest that the workplace setting has superior outcome in tobacco cessation and harm reduction than clinical setting. In addition, it is associated with low dropout rate and the cessation effect is maintained over a period of 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, B.K.L. Walawalkar Rural Medical College, Sawarde, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Ramdas S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Ransing
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, B.K.L. Walawalkar Rural Medical College, Sawarde, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Dipak B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Patil
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, B.K.L. Walawalkar Rural Medical College, Sawarde, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Maruti B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Desai
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry, B.K.L. Walawalkar Rural Medical College, Sawarde, Ratnagiri, Maharashtra, India.
authors.forename: Asawari
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Modak
keywords: Focused group discussion; nicotine dependence; nicotine/non-nicotine replacement therapy; tobacco cessation clinic; workplace