Introduction Our objective was to identify the factors related to returning to smoking by analyzing data obtained from a smoking cessation clinic. Methods We analyzed data from 2,089 subjects (age 44.0 ± 12.9 years) who started a smoking cessation program between 16 July 2007 and 31 December 2008 in a community health center in the city of Ulsan. We analyzed demographic information and clinical variables using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and calculated the hazard ratio for returning to smoking. Results Mean abstinence time differed according to the following factors: sex, past attempts to quit, employment status, type of health insurance, CO levels, results from Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND), number of cigarettes smoked daily, use of a nicotine replacement, and number of contacts in the program. Using multivariate analysis, we identified negative relationships between treatment intensity and hazard ratio for the following: visits ≤4 (Exp(B) = 3.752, P < 0.001, reference: 5 visits ≤), telephone contacts ≤5 (Exp(B) = 10.528, P < 0.001, reference: 6 calls ≤) and SMS ≤ 20 (Exp(B) = 3.821, P < 0.001 in 0–10 group; Exp(B) = 1.407, P = 0.003 for the 11–20 group; reference: 21 messages ≤). Discussion Type of insurance, baseline CO, FTND level, and intensity of smoking cessation intervention positively affects outcomes in a smoking cessation clinic. A cost-effectiveness study on the intensity of interventions in smoking cessation clinics is needed.
This study examined differences in the clinical and treatment-related features of pathological gambling (PG) on the basis of the age of PG onset among pathological gamblers who sought treatment.A total of 702 male outpatients with a primary diagnosis of PG and who were treated in a clinical practice were assessed by retrospective chart review. We selected the age of 25 years and younger as the threshold for "group 1." We then stratified the participants into 4 groups on the basis of the age of PG onset in 10-year intervals. Analysis of covariance with a covariant of age and the Pearson χ test were used for analyses.We found that the earlier-onset gamblers were less likely to be escape type (P < 0.05), used significantly more Internet-based gambling (P < 0.001), and were less likely to engage in nonstrategic gambling (P < 0.05) than the later-onset gamblers. In addition, the earlier-onset gamblers took anticraving medication, such as naltrexone, significantly more often (P < 0.05), and sought treatment significantly more slowly after the onset of PG than the later-onset group (P < 0.01). Regarding adherence to treatment, however, there was no significant difference among the 4 groups on the basis of the age of PG onset.The age of PG onset is associated with several important clinical and treatment features. More studies are needed to advance prevention and treatment strategies for each age group.