"SMOKE LIKE A TURK". DOES THE SAYING REFLECT REALITY?

Introduction and Objective: WHO defines smoking as the most important preventable disease cause. At our study we aimed to assess the dependence levels of smokers who have applied to family medicine practice offices throughout Turkey and thus constitute a way at primary care units to tackle the struggle against smoking. Method: This study had been carried out at Izmir Tepecik Training and Research Hospital. A questionnaire has been sent to all 81 provinces in Turkey to be completed at primary care units. The questionnaires arriving from 32 provinces at a number of 384 patients throughout Turkey have been included at the study. Some demographic data, cigarette smoking history, the quantity of smoking and the smokers’ opinions about cigarette smoking and quitting was asked. Finally Fagerstörm Nicotine Dependence Test (FNDT) was performed. The statistical analysis was done by Pearson Chi-Square, Fisher’s Exact test, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis statistical analysis. Results and Conclusions: It was found that 83 (21.6%) of smokers were very low level, 110 (28.6%) were low level, 50 (13.0%) intermediate level, 96 (25.0%) high level and 45 (11.7%) were very high level dependent. When all the smokers included were compared in gender, marital status, age groups, occupational groups and education level, there was no significant statistical differences in FNDT points and dependence levels. Nevertheless there was statistically significant differences when FNDT points were evaluated according to comorbid diseases (p