Abstract
Background:
As described in a recent editorial, much smoking cessation research and clinical practice has focused on identifying the one intervention that would turn all smokers into permanent non-smokers. However, health professionals should realize that we are still far from finding that ultimate intervention. On the contrary, it is even questionable if such a strategy even exists. Instead, in order to increase the number of successful quitters and provide a rationale for the development of tailored smoking cessation strategies, it is important to assess the relationship between factors, which are known to affect the success of smoking cessation interventions. Although researchers generally agree that a linkage between depression, nicotine dependence and respiratory complaints on the one hand and (in-)ability to abstain from smoking on the other exists, no study has assessed the interrelationship between these factors in smokers who are motivated to stop.
Aims:
To describe the relationship between reported respiratory symptoms and depression, and assess whether this relationship is modified by nicotine dependence.
Methods:
A postal survey of 272 cigarette smokers, aged 30-75, who were motivated to quit smoking was conducted.
Results:
We found a strong relationship between respiratory complaints and depression. This relationship is stronger with increasing frequency of complaints and with increasing limitation in activities of daily living. Stratification for nicotine dependence yielded only relevant differences when looking at the frequency of complaints, although the statistical test for effect modification did not reach significance.
Conclusion:
With this study an important prerequisite for tailoring smoking cessation is met: we assessed the relationship between three factors, which already have been identified as important predictors for success in smoking cessation. In the presentation I will elaborate on how the results of this study can be used to provide health professionals with feasible and (more) effective guidelines on how to tailor smoking cessation strategies.
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Wagena, E., de Rooij, T., van Amelsvoort, L. et al. Providing a rationale for the development of tailored smoking cessation interventions: the realtionship between respiratory symptoms, depression and nicotine dependence. Prim Care Respir J 11, 75 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/pcrj.2002.75
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/pcrj.2002.75