[Predictors of smoking relapse among adult in smoking cessation]

Smoking is a public health problem in Tunisia. The smoking cessation assistance is one of means against this epidemic. Few smokers require this need to quit.

this study aimed at identifying the predictive factors associated to the smoking relapse at the adult.

We carried out a prospective cohort study, during a period of 18 months, at the smoking cessation center of the University hospital of Monastir (Tunisia). The population study consisted of adult abstinent in smoking cessation interventions. Baseline contained a questionnaire investigating the smoking history, the nicotine dependence and the anxiety / depression state and information of the medical examination at follow-up visits. A phone survey was realized, 21 months after the inclusion beginning, to estimate the rate of smoking abstinence, the deadline average of relapse and these predictors. A multivariate Cox regression was used to identify predictors of smoking relapses.

A total of 143 adults were included in our study with a mean age of 44 ± 14 years. The median consumption was 30 cigarettes/ day. The median of initial carbon monoxide expired was 13 ppm. The median period of the medical treatment was 4 weeks. In the survey 74 patients relapse (51,7%) : IC95% [44 -60], with a median deadline of relapse of 11 weeks IC95% [9,1-12,9]. In the multivariate analysis, smoking relapse was associated with a period of treatment less than 4 weeks OR: 2,53: IC95 [1,48-4,32], and with a perception, less than 2 benefits, at the medical examination at follow-up visits OR: 1,54: IC95 [1,02-2,66].

The results of this study give us important clarifications, on profits offered by the adult smoking cessation interventions.