Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #121269

Ana Patricia Ortiz, MPH PhD¹, David Wetter, PhD², Virmarie Correa-Fernández, PhD³, Maria del Carmen Santos-Ortiz, PhD⁴, Carlos Mazas, PhD², Luz Mejía, MA², and Elba Díaz, DMD³. (1) Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Science Campus, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936, 787-758-2525 ext 1471, aportiz@rcm.upr.edu, (2) Dept. of Health Disparities Research, UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 301439, Unit 1330, 77230-1439, Houston, TX 77230-1439, (3) School of Dentistry, Department of Restorative Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, PO Box, PO Box 365067, San Juan, 00936-5067, (4) Graduate School of Public Health, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067

Background: Although the prevalence of smoking in Puerto Rico (PR) is 13.6% [Confidence Interval(CI)= 12.1-15.0], three out of the four leading causes of death in PR (heart disease, cancer, and hypertension) are associated with smoking. In 2004, the PR Department of Health implemented the PR Quitline (PRQ), a smoking cessation program offering telephone counseling. This study examines the epidemiologic profile of PRQ participants and compares relevant characteristics with those of current smokers from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) for PR (PR-2003).

Methods: Data from 905 PRQ participants (December, 2004-April, 2005) and the 498 current smokers from the PR-2003 BRFSS were analyzed. Rate of calls to the PRQ (per 10,000 population) was determined. Chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used to describe and compare PRQ callers and PR-BRFSS current smokers.

Results: The overall rate of calls was 3.3 per 10,000 people and 23.9 (CI= 21.6-26.8) per 10,000 smokers. Among PRQ participants, mean years smoking was 22.8 (SD=14.0) and 78.4% reported smoking their first cigarette within the first 30 minutes of the day. The most commonly reported barrier to quitting was withdrawal symptoms (52%). Although no gender differences were observed between PRQ and BRFSS participants, a smaller proportion of people aged 18-24 and ³ 65 years called the PRQ, as compared to those described in the BRFSS (p<0.05).

Conclusions: PRQ participants show high addiction to tobacco. Young adults and those of older age are under-represented among PRQ callers, suggesting the need for targeting PRQ promotion campaigns on these groups.

Learning Objectives:

• Get to know the Puerto Rico Quitline(PRQ, a smoking cessation program iniciated in 2004; and describe the rate of calls it has received.
• Identify the characteristics of PRQ callers.
• Recognize groups of the population that PRQ promotion campaigns should target.

Keywords: Smoking Cessation, Hispanic

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.