Factors Associated with Quitting Smoking at a Tobacco Dependence Treatment Clinic

Objective: To identify factors associated with successful quitting at a free tobacco treatment clinic.

Methods: A cohort study of the first 1021 patients who made a quit attempt. Baseline and treatment variables were recorded, and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with abstinence at 4-week and 6-month follow-up.

Results: Three hundred twenty (31.3%) patients reported tobacco abstinence at 6 months. Several markers of low socioeconomic status and high nicotine dependence were predictive of poorer smoking cessation outcomes. Compliance with evidence-based treatment was associated with improved treatment outcome, as was older age and having more than 2 children.

Conclusions: Efforts should be made to enhance treatment compliance among smokers with indicators of high nicotine dependence and low socioeconomic status.