Background:
In India, approximately 266.8 million individuals consume tobacco in some form. Despite widespread awareness of its harmful effects, quitting remains a significant challenge, with only 3–5% achieving long-term abstinence without professional support. Integrated cessation services have shown improved outcomes. Aims to assess health seeking behaviour by examining engagement patterns, including self-initiated visits, participation in group therapy, and acceptance of oral screening services.
Methods:
This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed from 737 tobacco users registered at Tobacco Cessation Clinic between January 2015 and December 2019. Information on demographics, tobacco use history, level of nicotine dependence using Fagerstrom Test, and motivational stage using Readiness to Quit Scale was collected. All users advised to attend oral screening and support group meetings. Follow-up assessment, including current tobacco use, social support, and experiences with screening and support meetings, was conducted via structured telephonic interviews. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed.
Results:
Out of 737 registered users, 320 (43.4%) were successfully contacted. Among 40.3% visited clinic voluntarily and 35.9% reported having family support. At baseline, 32.5% and 29.4% had very high and high dependence, while 36.9% and 35% were in the preparation and contemplation stages, respectively. About 33.1% attended oral screening of these 33.9% reported health concerns, and 79% felt motivated to quit. Among those who did not undergo screening, 74.2% reported lack of interest or time, though 36.9% acknowledged its potential benefits. Additionally, 25.3% attended support group meetings, and 95.1% of them reported increased motivation to quit. Following interventions, 45.9% quit tobacco with behavioral support, 7.2% with behavioral and NRT, 20% reduced use, and 32% attempted quitting after counseling.
Conclusion:
Participation in oral screenings and support group meetings was linked with increased awareness and motivation to quit. These findings underscore the value of integrated cessation services in promoting health-seeking behavior among tobacco users.