Clients of the National Tobacco Quitline Czech Republic in 2017: evaluation of addiction characteristics after eight months in operation
Abstract
Background: The National Tobacco Quitline Czech Republic (NLOK) was established in 2016 as a new service within the tobacco addiction treatment system in the Czech Republic. A qualified team of professionals and the continuous evaluation of the service, including the specific characteristics of its target group, are essential for improving the quality of telephone counselling.
Aims: The aim of this work was to define the main characteristics of the clients of the NLOK, with a focus on their basic smoking history, including the degree of their physical and psychosocial dependence, the sources of their motivation for treatment, and the key supporting factors in relation to their cessation of smoking. Methods: The research group consisted of 120 regular tobacco smokers, clients of the National Tobacco Quitline Czech Republic, who from September 2016 to April 2017 underwent at least an initial smoking cessation consultation.
The data used was obtained from the internal database of the service and subjected to statistical evaluation. Results: The results showed that the average client of the Quitline was likely (with no gender-specific differences) to be middle-aged, worry most about their health and finances in relation to smoking, and be looking for support in their closest relationships.
Conclusions: The analysis helped in focusing the intervention, increasing adherence, and enhancing the effectiveness of the telephone counselling. It also highlighted the need for the better diagnosis of physical and psychological dependence and indicated new areas which it may be useful to explore as part of the systematic mapping of clients' smoking anamnesis during a telephone intervention.