Factors influencing smoking cessation attempts and success in Iranian male adults: national survey data

TL;DR

This study explores factors affecting smoking cessation attempts and success among Iranian men using national survey data.

Contribution

The study identifies urban residence, smoking intensity, and physician advice as key factors influencing smoking cessation in Iran.

Findings

883 participants (68.29%) did not attempt to quit smoking.

Only 64 (15.61%) of those who attempted to quit were successful.

Physician recommendation was a protective factor against unsuccessful quitting.

Abstract

Smoking cessation is a dynamic process that often involves a series of unsuccessful quit attempts before long-term abstinence is achieved. To implement interventions that lead to long-term abstinence, it will be necessary to understand the determinants of smoking cessation. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to determine the effect of factors influencing both smoking cessation attempts and successful smoking cessation in the general population of Iran.

The data of 1293 participants whose information was obtained through a national cross-sectional study entitled “Survey of Risk Factors of Noncommunicable Diseases in 2016” were analyzed. There were three response levels: “quit attempt and successful quit”, “quit attempt and unsuccessful quit”, and “no quit attempt and unsuccessful quit”. A multinomial logistic regression model was used to assess the effect of covariates on response.

The mean (sd) age of all participants was 47.21 (13.65) years. According to the results, 883 people (68.29%) did not attempt to quit smoking, and of those who attempted to quit smoking, only 64 (15.61%) men were successful. The factors of living in an urban area (OR = 1.71) and past smoking intensity (OR = 1.967) were associated with no quit attempt and unsuccessful quitting. In addition, physician recommendation to quit smoking was a protective factor for no quit attempt and unsuccessful quit (OR = 0.599). Alcohol consumption was also a protective factor against successful quitting for both attempters (OR = 0.351) and nonattempters (OR = 0.359).

Tobacco control programs should be implemented with a greater focus on heavy smokers and alcohol users. In addition, the role of health professionals in encouraging smokers to quit smoking should not be ignored.

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