The effect of faith-based smoking cessation intervention during Ramadan among Malay smokers

Abstract

Objectives: To study the effects of a faith-based smoking cessation intervention during Ramadan among Malay male smokers working in public offices. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study conducted during Ramadan 2015. The intervention was developed based on the constructs within the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The intervention intended to increase the intention and the perceived behaviour control to stop smoking among Muslim smokers during Ramadan. The outcomes measured were changes in the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence score and saliva cotinine levels. Data were collected at baseline (5 days before Ramadan), during Ramadan (21st day of Ramadan) and post-Ramadan (21 days after Ramadan). Statistical tests to examine changes within and between groups were carried out and the significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: During Ramadan, the saliva cotinine level decreased significantly in both groups (p = 0.001 in the control group and p = < 0.001 in the intervention group). However, after Ramadan, it remained significant only in the intervention group (p = 0.025). A significant change between the groups was only noticed during Ramadan (p = 0.049). Conclusion: The reduction in the saliva cotinine level was found to be more sustainable post-Ramadan in the intervention group. This finding could indicate the positive effect of using this culturally-competent intervention to encourage smoking cessation during Ramadan.

Efficacy and cost-effectiveness of a community-based smoke-free-home intervention with or without indoor-air-quality feedback in Bangladesh (MCLASS II): a three-arm, cluster-randomised, controlled trial

“…8,9 Islamic faith-based smoking cessation interventions have also been found to be effective in encouraging Muslim smokers to stop smoking during Ramadan, although the sustainability of the behavioural change is unclear. 12,39 Nevertheless, our findings are consistent with those from other studies targeting reduction of second-hand-smoke exposure within the home using behavioural interventions and indoor-airquality feedback. A review from 2018 found that the effectiveness of several counselling and educational interventions that have been used to try to reduce secondhand-smoke exposure has not been clearly shown.…”

Smoking and Religion: Untangling Associations Using English Survey Data

“…In terms of tobacco control, our results raise issues for faith-based health interventions. Evidence primarily from the USA but also from the Far East and Muslim countries has been hopeful but equivocal about the effectiveness of such measures (Campbell et al 2007; Schoenberg et al 2016; Ismail et al 2016; Byron et al 2015; Elkalmi et al 2016). Our research points to the need for faith-based interventions to move beyond baseline prevalences to understand how religion interacts with other factors that may be more important in driving smoking behaviour, notably socio-economic disadvantage and ethnicity.…”

Impact of intermittent dietary restriction on the health-related outcomes of faith-based fasting

“…Research by [55] on the alternation of dietary and smoking patterns inspired by fasting during Ramadan found that consumption of tobacco products, tea, and coffee are markedly declined. Comparably, [55][56][57] observed a significant decline of 50% of the average number of cigarettes smoked, as well as higher rates of smoking cessation interventions during the month of Ramadan.…”