577P Nicotine dependence assessment using Fagerstrom test and Nicotine Replacement therapy (NRT) recommendation techniques for smoking cessation among Paniya tribes

Abstract

Background: Tobacco is a highly addictive substance. It is estimated that 1.9 billion people currently smoke worldwide. Tobacco kills one in two users. It is responsible for the death of 1 in 10 adults, with 4.9 million deaths occurring worldwide each year. Tribes are a special population with high prevalence of smoking. Most people who try to stop smoking do so unassisted, and many return to smoking within a few months. There is now substantial evidence that pharmacotherapy, such as nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), can significantly increase an individual's chances of stopping. Indeed, it is widely recommended that pharmacotherapy be incorporated into any quit attempt when not contraindicated. Methods: Objectives: To investigate the effectiveness of nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) for smoking cessation among Paniya tribes. Design: Randomised controlled trial. Participants and setting: 200 Paniya tribal smokers from South India, aged 18 years and older with a Fagerstrom score of 1 and above were included in the study. Interventions: The scoring of the tribal patients was done using Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence. The NRT recommendation chart was used to give the appropriate intervention according to the scoring criteria. Main outcome measures: Self-reported abstinence assessed by questionnaires at 1, 2, 3 and 6 months. Results: Of the 200 patients approached, 165 (82.5%) agreed to participate; five of these were later excluded. Among the 160 tried NRT during the study period. At 30-day follow-up, 82 (51.25%) who had used NRT planned to continue using them, it reduced to 74,52 and 30 at the end of 2, 3 and 6 months respectively. Average cigarette consumption decreased from 15.6 per person/d to 7.6 over the study period (P