Quit tobacco clinics in Bahrain: smoking cessation rates and patient satisfaction

BACKGROUND One third of Bahraini adult males and 7.0% of females use all types of tobacco. The prevalence rates of cigarette and shisha smoking are 11.0 and 6.0%, respectively. Tobacco cessation programs are essential to help smokers quit. The objectives of this study were to determine the quit rates among male attendees of quit tobacco clinics (QTC) in Bahrain and describe related factors. METHODS We used a cross sectional study design to interview194 male tobacco smokers who had received care from two QTC. Patients who consulted these clinics within the year preceding the study were eligible to be included. They were interviewed using a structured and pretested questionnaire containing questions on tobacco smoking behavior and quitting experience. RESULTS Overall, 56.5% had quit all forms of tobacco after attending the QTC with shisha smokers being more successful in quitting than cigarette smokers. About 93.0% received nicotine replacement treatment along with counseling sessions. More than three visits to the clinics and previous quit attempts of 21 months duration or more were statistically significantly related to successfully quitting all types of tobacco (p < 0.05). Most participants were satisfied with the clinics; however the majority wanted longer opening hours and an increase in the working days of the clinic. Physicians referred only 18.0% of the study population to QTC. CONCLUSION A high tobacco-quit rate among smokers seeking treatment at QTC is encouraging and indicates that the clinics contributed to tobacco cessation in Bahrain. Counselling sessions and more frequent visits to QTC helped participants to successfully quit tobacco.