Background: Combining drug and behavioral therapy has proved useful in helping smokers quit. One of the main predictive factors for relapse is a smoker's level of motivation. This study evaluates results in a cohort of smokers in function of motivation and sex.
Patients and methods: This prospective study enrolled 1,045 smokers examined at a specialist unit between September 1993 and September 1997. All patients gave information about smoking history and were classified in one of three levels of motivation. Abstinence was determined by CO exhaled. Twelve months later, we compared the success rates of men and women and of subjects with different levels of motivation. Variables predicting relapse were assessed using logistical regression analysis.
Results: Abstinence had been achieved by 24.5% of the 1,045 patients 12 months later, the rate for men being 25% and the rate for women 23.8% (p = 0.1). No smoker in the complacent phase was abstinent at 12 months. The rates were 24.3% and 32.4%, respectively, for smokers in the contemplation and action phases (p < 0.001). Only age and degree of motivation were independently related to failure to quit.
Conclusions: Strategies that combine drug treatment, behavioral therapy and follow-up achieve good rates of success among patients who are motivated to quit smoking.