Effects of stage-matched repeated individual behavioural counselling as an intervention for the decreased and stopping smoking

Aim: To evaluate effects of stage-matched repeated individual behavioural counselling on basis of Transtheoretical model as an intervention for the decreased and stopping smoking. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in over a period of 1 year where all smokers presenting to OPD were enrolled, each was classified on basis of STAGES OF READINESS TO CHANGE MODEL (Prochaska 1983) and under went repeated counselling for period of 6 months and each session was preceded and succeeded with filling of FAGERSTORM TEST FOR NICOTINE DEPENDENCE. Results: Over a period of 207 patients participated in this study, mean age was 50.74±14.74 years. Mean duration of tobacco use was 29.43±14.72 years. Conclusion: Our intervention also succeeded in increasing the abstinence rates during the study period among smokers with a lower motivation to quit (precontemplators and contemplators) as well as those ready to quit (preparators), this is significant because most existing smoking-cessation interventions target only motivated smokers, with few having a positive effect in smokers with a lower motivation to quit