BARRIERS TO SMOKING CESSATION: RESULTS OF A SURVEY AMONG FAMILY PRACTICE PATIENTS

Study Population:

This study was conducted on smokers visiting the family practice center, Aga Khan University hospital, Karachi. Around a 150 family practice patients are seen daily by twelve family physicians at the center. 100 smokers were interviewed. Since we planned a descriptive study and did not intend to subject the data to statistical tests, a sample size based on statistical calculations was not calculated.

Study Design, data collection and management procedure:

The study design was a questionnaire based cross sectional survey. Data collection took place during July 2003. A trained volunteer administered questionnaires to the respondents.

Patients sitting in the waiting area and found to be current smokers were requested to participate in the study. We interviewed patients based on their availability and convenience. A systematic random selection of study subjects was not under taken.

SPSS computer software was used for data management.

Inclusion criteria:

1. Patients visiting the family medicine clinic
2. Smokers
3. Age 18 years and above
4. Those agreeing to participate in the study and sign the consent form

Instrument

A questionnaire was developed to collect information on the demographic profile of the patient along with questions on attempts at smoking cessation, barriers to smoking cessation and factors that can help improve smoking cessation rates.

Data on demographic profile of the patient included age, sex, marital status, education and occupation.