MEDICAL AND SOCIAL SUPPORT DURING SMOKING CESSATION IN HUNGARY

Abstract

Smoking is associated with poor oral health, including increased risk of leukoplakia, gum disease, and oral cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of smoking and preference for quitting, as well as to describe the role of health professionals in promoting smoking cessation.

Methods: The results presented in this abstract come from the second phase of a national survey, which took place between 2008 and 2013. It involved a nationally representative sample of households in 48 districts of Hungary. Details of the sampling technique used will be presented in the poster. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 1,042 people aged ≥18 years. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate smoking prevalence, quit attempts, and health professional efforts to support cessation (using SPSS v.23). The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Szeged (No. 2431/2008). Informed written consent was obtained from study participants.

Results: The response rate was 70.4 % and 1013 of the completed questionnaires contained sufficient data to analyse. Of the daily smokers (292; 28.8%), 124 (42.5%) were thinking of quitting, and 26 (8.9%) were ready to quit. For current smokers, reporting a recent quit attempt (n=243), the frequency of medical support was relatively low: 26 (10.7%) used medication (e.g., nicotine patch), and 48 (19.8%) received advice from a doctor, dentist, or other health care worker. Only two people attended a quit smoking group, while 138 (56.8%) were supported by family or friends. There were no differences in cessation support across socio- demographic parameters.

Conclusions: In the group studied .the desire to quit smoking was high and the health professional support for quitting was underused. Dentists and other health professionals can support patients in their desire to quit, ultimately reducing the smoking prevalence and its adverse population health effects in Hungary.