Results of one year monitoring of the National telephone quitline on smoking cessation in the Kyrgyz Republic

oleh: Chinara Bekbasarova, Mekhriban Kasimova, Gulzada Kurmnabek Kyzy, Nargiza Aidarova, Nurgul Seitkazieva, Indira Akunova, Tolkun Djamangulova, Elmira Boronchieva

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: European Publishing 2018-03-01

Deskripsi

Background and challenges to implementation In 2010-2011 Public Health Protection Foundation in collaboration with Republican Health Promotion Centre (RCHP) of the Ministry Health (MoH) has conducted pilot project on providing smoking cessation consultations by phone (quitline). The Pilot project recommended the Kyrgyz MoH to establish a national smoking cessation quitline service under the RCHP. Intervention or response The National quitline service was established in 2016. Link to the quitline website and telephone were displayed on 12 Pictorial Health Warnings (PHW) on cigarette packages, which were implemented in Kyrgyzstan since January 2016. National quitline service works from 9 a.m. till 9.p.m daily, except Sunday and national holidays. Total of 4143 smokers (93,7% men and 6,3% women) were consulted during 15 months (in 2016 - 2017). 50% of smokers had 3 rd degree of tobacco addiction (DTA), 32% - 2 nd DTA and 18% - 1 st DTA. 80% of smokers were 15-34 years old. Results and lessons learnt During January-June of 2017, quitline service consultants made proactive calls to the telephone subscribers, who received advices and information in same period of 2016 for conducting one-year monitoring of work. More than 60% of respondents were not reached by phone and 40% (580 people) were interviewed. 27,8% of people (28,5% males and 18,6% females) managed to quit tobacco use and 72,2% of them (71,5% males and 81,4% females) could not quit. Among the smokers who quit smoking during the last 12 months - 46% had 1st, 34%-2nd and 20% - 3rd DTA. 89% were 15-44 years old. 94% of respondents answered that quitline helped them to quit tobacco smoking. 37% of smokers who couldn“t quit tobacco were not ready do it, 32% indicated withdrawal symptoms as the underlying reason for their failure. Conclusions and key recommendations Results of one year monitoring indicate, that quitline is efficient population level smoking cessation intervention and should be continued and improved with the MoH support.