Long-term Effectiveness of Anti-tobacco Advice: the Process of Relapse

Abstract

Bakground: Addiction to tobacco is the main cause of preventive morbidity, and so the fight against tobacco consumption is a priority in the developed world. Health advice is a valuable tool in this struggle and it within the reach of all health workers. To study the long-term efectiveness of all anti-tobacco advice in Primary Aid, together with the influence that the reason for giving up (spontaneous or after advice) has upon the relapse pattem. Method: We carried out a clinical test on 501 patients, 242 as a participnt group, receiving health advice, and 259 in a control group. W evaluated giving up the habit though a survey. The data were analysed by means of a study with a survival study considering the relapse to be the final point. Survival curves for the two groups were compared with the Lee-Desu statistic. Results: 115 patients gave up the habit for at least 24 hous (31,8& from the participant and 14,7% from the control group). After 3 years, after a biochemical check-up 4,5% of the participant group and 1,2% of the control group wre still ex-smokers (difference=3,3p=0,043%: there is a confidence interval of 95% from o,45 to 6,33) We did not find significant differences between their survival curves (p=0,08). Conclusion: We have been able to confirm the mid-to long-term effectiveness of anti-tobacco advice. We have not been able to demosnstrate that anti-tobacco advice in the relapse pattern, but a statistical trend does exist towards a reduction in the participant group.