‘Web Based Approach’ to Assess Factors Affecting Nicotine Dependency among Internet-Active Smokers
Keywords:
smoking, addiction, nicotine dependence, internet users, web based services, information technologyAbstract
Introduction: In India, approximate 14% of the adults are smokers. Low follow-up rate and missed opportunities of de addiction are the main challenges for Tobacco control Program. Review shows the positive impact of web-based interventions to quit smoking. With increasing internet use among Indians, study was done to explore possibility of web base smoking cessation intervention.
Methodology: To study the objective, a website named ‘Smoke Free India’ was created by the investigators. Total 113 responses were collected through web-based survey and analyzed for nicotine dependency with standard measuring guidelines.
Results: Around 37.17 % of responders were under 20 years of age. Among total respondents, 82.3 % were male. After adjusting for confounders, risk factors increasing nicotine dependency were age < 25 years (b1= 2.41), affected marital status (b2 = 0.23), years spend in smoking habit (b3=0.41), feeling tired of quitting (b4= 0.70) while late evening time of smoking first cigarette of day (b5= -0.34) and living with family (b6= -0.28) were protective factors. Almost 90.3% thought that they would be comfortable to use Internet services to quit smoking.
Conclusions: The study find out the factors associated with nicotine dependence. Familiarity and willingness to use Internet services open the door for web based de addiction services.
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