title: The effect of faith-based smoking cessation intervention during Ramadan among Malay smokers.
abstract: Objectives:To study the effects of a faith-based smoking cessation intervention during Ramadan among Malay male smokers working in public offices.Methods:This was a quasi-experimental study conducted during Ramadan 2015. The intervention was developed based on the constructs within the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The intervention intended to increase the intention and the perceived behaviour control to stop smoking among Muslim smokers during Ramadan. The outcomes measured were changes in the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence score and saliva cotinine levels. Data were collected at baseline (5 days before Ramadan), during Ramadan (21st day of Ramadan) and post-Ramadan (21 days after Ramadan). Statistical tests to examine changes within and between groups were carried out and the significance level was set atp< 0.05.Results:During Ramadan, the saliva cotinine level decreased significantly in both groups (p= 0.001 in the control group andp= < 0.001 in the intervention group). However, after Ramadan, it remained significant only in the intervention group (p= 0.025). A significant change between the groups was only noticed during Ramadan (p= 0.049).Conclusion:The reduction in the saliva cotinine level was found to be more sustainable post-Ramadan in the intervention group. This finding could indicate the positive effect of using this culturally-competent intervention to encourage smoking cessation during Ramadan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Suriani
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hejar
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdul Rahman
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Emelia Zainal
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Abidin
authors.affiliation: Department of Management & Humanities, University Technology Petronas, Tronoh, Perak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ahmad Sharul Nizam
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Isha
authors.affiliation: Hulu Langat District Health Office, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Sallehuddin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abu Bakar
authors.affiliation: Student, Master of Science in Health Promotion, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Nur Aishah
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zulkifley
authors.affiliation: Student, Master of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ahmad Farhan Ahmad
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Fuad
keywords: Muslim smokers; Ramadan; smoking cessation