Predictors of Smoking Cessation Behaviour Of Health Professionals in Mangalore City

Medical practitioners play a leading role in prevention of tobacco usage in community, and also in development of public health policy. Unfortunately health professionals also become addicts of smoking; work load; boredom and tension are the major reasons for smoking among health professionals. A cohort of health professionals (n=378) of all the Medical and Dental colleges of Mangalore, were given questionnaire that included the Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence, and the data was analysed using statistical tests and models. There was a significant difference in the mean age between those who had intension to quit. Significant association was found between nicotine dependence and intention to quit smoking. Participants who did not find it difficult to refrain from smoking in public places, had high intention to quit smoking. Participants who’d hate to give up cigarettes at any time had high intention to quit smoking; participants, who smoked 10 or less cigarettes per day, had high intention to quit smoking. The Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence score seems to be a powerful tool for predicting smoking cessation behaviour, based on this effective cessation programs must be promoted to eradicate the problem of tobacco use among health professionals.