Smoking cessation rate 12 months after a group counseling program in Mongolia

Mongolia is one of the top ten countries with the highest smoking rates of men and women combined, so that tobacco control, especially creating effective smoking cessation programs, is essential issue of the government. The present study aimed to assess an effectiveness of a free group counseling program by trained medical doctors and health educators based on "5A" (Ask, Assess, Advise, Assist, and Arrange) with 12 months follow-up in 2002 and 2003. Participants were 517 smokers with an intention to quit smoking in three big cities (Ulaanbaatar, Darkhan, and Erdenet). We found that 65.0% of them were not smokers 12 months after the program. The cessation rate was significantly higher in 2003 than in 2002, indicating that the effectiveness of the program had improved over time. Group counseling based on the "5A" approach by medical doctors and health educators seems effective for smokers with an intention to quit smoking. The present approach may be more appropriate in Mongolian conditions than nicotine replacement therapy.