Early Retention in Services as a Predictor of Tobacco Cessation: A Medical Record-based Longitudinal Tele-Follow-Up Study at a Tertiary Care Center in Eastern India

Abstract

Introduction: The aim was to evaluate the outcome of tobacco cessation services. The primary objective was to find the association of early retention in services with tobacco cessation outcomes. Secondarily, it tried to find other sociodemographic, clinical, and treatment-related predictors of tobacco cessation. Methodology: The outcome would be evaluated through a retrospective–prospective design. The retrospective design was recorded based, while the prospective design was done telephonically by calling the patients and enquiring about their status after at least 6 months since their first visit. Patients with “No tobacco usage in last 1 month” were considered “abstinent.” Those who “reduced their usage in last 1 month” by about 50% were considered to have “reduced” usage, whereas others who “continued their usage in same previous manner” were considered “same” user. Results: Out of 356 patients registered between June 1, 2021 and February 28, 2022, 81 (22.75%) could not be contacted, 221 (62.08%) had “reduced usage” after a tele-follow-up of at least 6 months, 50 (14.04%) patients have retained similar amount of usage and 4 patients expired. Of the 221 who reduced usage, 53 were abstinent (14.48%). “Initial retention in services” that is a single physical follow-up was significantly associated with “reduced usage” (P = 0.003) in the tele-follow-up with a median duration of 13 months. With regard to “abstinence,” none could stand the test of significance after correction in the logistic model except “types of tobacco usage” which predicted a statistically significant effect with an odds ratio of 3.15 (P = 0.01). Conclusion: This study reveals important information regarding “type of tobacco” as a predictor of abstinence and “initial physical retention” as a predictor of “reduction in tobacco usage.” Such studies need further clarification in future, more robust face-to-face studies with biochemical verification.