The combined effects of announcing spirometric lung age and an education session about smoking harms on cigarette-smokers' attitudes

Aims. To evaluate the combined effects of announcing spirometric lung age (SLA) and an education session about smoking harms on smoking attitudes of cigarettes-smokers (CSs); and to determine the profile of CSs who quit smoking. Methods: An interventional study took place in a cable factory. The intervention included 4 steps: i) ECSs attended a presentation raising the smoking hazards awareness; ii) CSs performed a general questionnaire (smoking habits and nicotine dependence level (Fagerstrom test)); iii) height, weight, and spirometric data were noted, and SLA was calculated and announced; and iv) CSs were called back (10-months later) to evaluate their smoking attitudes. ECSs were divided into two classes according to their spirometric pattern (no bronchial obstruction (BO): FEV1/FEV6 ≥0.80; possible BO: 0.70≤FEV1/FEV6 G1: quit smoking, G2: stable consumption, G3: decrease consumption; G4: increase consumption). Results: Among the 53 CSs, only 36 completed the 4 steps. 10-months after, 11.1% quit smoking, 52.7% decreased their consumption by 7±4 cigarettes/day, 11 30.5% kept a stable consumption and 5.5% increased their consumption by 9±6 cigarettes/day. G1, compared to G2 and G4, had higher SLA. G4, compared to G1 and G3, had lower SLA. G4, compared to G2 and G3, included significantly lower frequencies of ECSs free from BO. Conclusion: The intervention motivated 64% of CSs to quit smoking or to reduce their smoking consumption. The profile of the CSs who quit smoking was characterized by a significantly higher SLA.