DEPENDENCE ON TOBACCO IN A COMMUNITY IN SOUTHERN BRAZIL

Introduction and Objectives: Smoking is now recognized as a chemical dependency that expose individuals to innumerable toxic substances. Considered the main public health problem by the World Health Organization (WHO), tobacco use is responsible for about five million deaths (four million men and one million women) a year worldwide. The aim of this study was to characterize the smokers' population local. Methodology: This is an cross-sectional study of the population over 14 years in the Mundo Novo neighborhood in the city of Novo Hamburgo. Initially a literature review of the database in BIREME base over the last five years. Tool was applied in September 2014. Was used the questionnaire tolerance Fagerström. It was applied to smokers who consulted at the health center. Results and conclusions: The prevalence of somoking in people over 14 years in the Mundo Novo neighborhood, in the period was 18%. The degree of dependence was analyzed by applying Fageström score. 31.5% were considered smokers with low and / or very low dependence, 16% with average degree of dependence and 52.5% with high and / or very high dependence. The prevalence of smoking varied in community studies (11-32%) should be taken into account demographic and socioeconomic factors. The prevalence found in this study was within what was reported in the literature. The high number of smokers who tried to quit leads us to believe in the importance of a support group. the opportunity was offered to those who wanted drug treatment.