The objectives of this study are to report the contribution of pharmacists to smoking cessation and study the determinants of smoking cessation success in eight pharmacies in Portugal (south) between 2009 and 2019. A real-life study was conducted with a sample of smokers who participated in pharmacist consultations. The sample included 135 smokers (average age of 47.9 ± 1.21 years), 79 (58.5%) of whom were male. In parallel with the motivation and behavioral approach, 116 (85.9%) smokers received pharmacological therapies: 108 (80.0%) were treated with nicotine replacement products and eight (5.9%) with non-nicotine medications. The interventions resulted in 70 (51.9%) smokers complying with the quit day, of whom 59 (43.7%) were smoking-abstinent at the end of the first month. Success rates were reduced to 32.6%, 28.1%, and 20.7% at the end of the 3rd, 6th, and 12th months, respectively. Smoking cessation was more successful for the participants receiving pharmacological therapies (Fisher’s exact test, p < 0.001) and those who participated in more pharmacist consultations (χ2 = 59.994, p < 0.001) and more telephone sessions (χ2 = 17.845, p < 0.001). Pharmacists can contribute significantly to the promotion of smoking cessation. Smokers who are more thoroughly followed up by pharmacists showed increased success rates when compared with smokers having fewer sessions with pharmacists.

Background: According to the World Health Organisation, tobacco use is one of the most widespread public health threats in the world, making it particularly urgent to promote smoking cessation. The effectiveness of pharmacist interventions in smoking cessation has been documented in the international literature, but not sufficiently in Portugal. Objective: To report the preliminary results of study to assess the effectiveness of a smoking cessation programme delivered in Portuguese community pharmacies using an outsorcing-based regimen. Methods: Within the scope of a pharmaceutical care programme implemented in seven community pharmacies by an outsourced pharmacist, a specific consultation for smoking cessation was developed, in accordance with Portugal's General Directorate of Health's recommendations and instruments. The smokers were identified and invited to join the programme by the pharmacy staff during their daily activities. Patients that accepted signed an informed consent. Through several face-to-face and phone consultations and based on a comprehensive patient approach, personalised plans to quit tobacco were defined with the patients' agreement. The effectiveness of the service was assessed through the evaluation of quit rates at 1, 6 and 12 months. The continuous variables were expressed as mean ± standard error of the mean. Results: During approximately 5 years (between January 2009 and July 2014), 69 smokers joined the programme. Of these, 17 desisted during the first consultation. Of the remaining 52 patients, the mean age was 47.4 ± 2.11 years old and 55.8% were male. A total of 264 pharmaceutical consultations were delivered and, on average, each patient received 7.7 ± 0.81 interventions. Most interventions (60.1%) were pharmacological (e.g. nicotine replacement products), while non-pharmacological measures (e.g. motivational interviewing) represented 39.9%. Five patients were referred to a physician. At 1 month after the quit date, 37 patients were abstinent (53.6%); 6 months later the number reduced to 24 (34.8%) and, 1 year later, 16 patients remained abstinent (23.2%). Conclusions:The implementation of a smoking cessation programme in community pharmacies using an external pharmacist may contribute effectively to tobacco cessation in Portugal.

Aim: To explore attitudes/knowledge, perceptions of curricula contents and confidence / competence to intervene in tobacco cessation/prevention among finalists medical students in Portugal. Methods: In 2016, a national cross-sectional study was carried out using a multiple-dimension questionnaire administered online/classroom. Results: Participants: 452 (24.2% of finalists), 72.1% females, age mode 23 years. Cronbach's alfa analysis was reliable. While most students reported good knowledge about tobacco hazards, positive attitudes regarding their role in supporting cessation and their need for training; a significant part disagreed that they should be role models and that their behaviour would influence cessation outcomes; denying that curricula impacts in their attitudes. While most students reported receiving good theoretical training, particularly in tobacco hazards, a significant part considered their training poor, respectively in behaviour change and brief cessation skills: 38.4% reported low self-competence to intervene. From a 1-10 scale, mean

Aim: To assess tobacco and e-cigarette (EC) use, and exposure to SHS among pharmaceutical (PHs), nursing (Ns), medical (MDs), and medical dental (Ds) finalists students. Methods: In 2016, a national cross-sectional questionnaire-based study involved health science schools in Portugal (46.6% online). A descriptive/inferential and regression analysis was performed. Results: Participants: 2095 students, 79.5% females, mode age 23 years, 34.5% collaboration rate. Of the finalists, more than half had experimented tobacco (in descending order: box cigarettes, RYO, shisha, cigarillos, cigars, p<0.001). Experimentation of EC ranged from 9.3% (MD) to 13.4% (Ns). EC occasional consumption was more frequent than daily. Prevalence of tobacco use was: Ns-22.1% (23.5% in males; 21.8% in females, p=0.6); Ds-19.7% (29.7% in males; 15.9% in females, p=0,018); PHs19.4% (32.3% in males, 15.1% in females; p=0,003); MDs12,2%, (17.1% in males; 10.2% in females, p=0,049), p<0.001. Among all courses, regular smoking overlaps with college admission; most smokers reported low dependence and desire

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