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Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telephone-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Qatari Residents

Author

Listed:
  • Vasiliki Leventakou

    (Health Research Governance Department, Ministry of Public Health, Doha P.O. Box 42, Qatar)

  • Mohammed Al Thani

    (Public Health Department, Ministry of Public Health, Doha P.O. Box 42, Qatar
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Angeliki Sofroniou

    (Public Health Department, Ministry of Public Health, Doha P.O. Box 42, Qatar
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Hamza I. Butt

    (Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA)

  • Safa M. Eltayeb

    (Public Health Department, Ministry of Public Health, Doha P.O. Box 42, Qatar)

  • Iman A. Hakim

    (Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA)

  • Cynthia Thomson

    (Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA)

  • Uma S. Nair

    (Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA
    College of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA)

Abstract

The steady increase in smoking rates has led to a call for wide-reaching and scalable interventions for smoking cessation in Qatar. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of an evidence-based smoking cessation program delivered by telephone for Qatari residents. A total of 248 participants were recruited through primary care centers and received five weekly scheduled proactive behavioral counseling calls from personnel trained in tobacco cessation and navigation to obtain cessation pharmacotherapy from clinics. Outcomes were assessed at end of treatment (EOT), and 1- and-3-month follow up. The Mann–Whitney test was used to compare the average number of participants recruited per month pre- and post-COVID. We recruited 16 participants/month, the majority (85.5%) attended at least one counselling session, and 95.4% used some of pharmacotherapy. Retention rates were 70% at EOT, 64.4% and 71.7% at 1- and 3-month follow up, respectively; 86% reported being ‘extremely satisfied’ by the program. Our ITT 7-day point prevalence abstinence was 41.6% at EOT, 38.4% and 39.3% at 1-and 3-month, respectively. The average number of participants recruited per month was significantly higher for pre vs. post-COVID (18.9 vs. 10.0, p -value = 0.02). Average number of participants retained at EOT per recruitment month showed a slight decrease from 8.6 pre- to 8.2 post-COVID; average number who quit smoking at EOT per recruitment month also showed a decrease from 6 to 4.6. The study results indicated that our telephone-based intervention is feasible and acceptable in this population and presents a new treatment model which can be easily disseminated to a broad population of Qatari smokers.

Suggested Citation

  • Vasiliki Leventakou & Mohammed Al Thani & Angeliki Sofroniou & Hamza I. Butt & Safa M. Eltayeb & Iman A. Hakim & Cynthia Thomson & Uma S. Nair, 2022. "Feasibility and Acceptability of a Telephone-Based Smoking Cessation Intervention for Qatari Residents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:16509-:d:997872
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ahmad AlMulla & Ravinder Mamtani & Sohaila Cheema & Patrick Maisonneuve & Jamal Abdullah BaSuhai & Gafar Mahmoud & Silva Kouyoumjian, 2021. "Epidemiology of tobacco use in Qatar: Prevalence and its associated factors," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(4), pages 1-15, April.
    2. Mohammed Al Thani & Vasiliki Leventakou & Angeliki Sofroniou & Safa M. Eltayeb & Eman Sadoun & Iman A. Hakim & Cynthia Thomson & Uma Nair, 2021. "A Telephone-Based Tobacco Cessation Program in the State of Qatar: Protocol of a Feasibility Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-8, April.
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