Long-term effects of smoking cessation support in primary care: results of a two-year longitudinal study in Brazil

Efeitos a longo prazo do suporte na cessação do tabagismo na atenção primária: resultados de um estudo longitudinal de dois anos no Brasil

ABSTRACT

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effects of a Brazilian smoking cessation support program and the factors that are associated with its success.

Methods

A longitudinal study was conducted from 2012 to 2014 with 84 patients enrolled in smoking cessation support groups in a Primary Care Center from a poor community in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Support was provided according to Brazilian Tobacco Control Program and consisted of cognitive behavioral therapy in addition to nicotine replacement therapy. Logistic regression and the Cox proportional hazard models were used in the analysis.

Results

There was an increase of 34%, 48% and 97% in the chances of patients stop smoking for at least six months, 12 months and 24 months, respectively, for each new session that the patient participated. Patients that attended three or more meetings had a 79% lower risk of returning to smoking than those who went to less than three meetings.

Conclusions

Although not all patients who were enrolled in the program could be contacted for the study, our results indicate that about 40% of patients are able to stay smoke-free for at least three months due to the smoking cessation program, but less than 20% are able to remain smoke-free for two years. Initiatives to improve adherence to cognitive behavioral therapy meetings according to the specificity of the population may increase the effectiveness of the program.

Smoke; tobacco; nicotine; National Program of Tobacco Control; long-term effect