Quitting smoking before surgical interventions and its relationship to health literacy

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of health literacy (HL) level and smokingdependence of patients on their compliance with advice given by the physicians in anesthesia polyclinics ongiving up smoking.Methods: This prospective study included 165 smokers. HL was evaluated by The European Health Literacy(HLS-EU). Nicotine dependence was measured by Fagerstrom test for nicotine dependence (FTND). Patientswere advised not to smoke and their carbon monoxide levels in expired air were measured before on theoperation day.Results: The number of patients smoking on the day of surgery was significantly higher among females (p =0.001). While the HL was lower, the FTND scores (p = 0.006), daily cigarette consumption (p < 0.001) andyears of cigarette smoking (p = 0.002) were found to be significantly higher. Fewer number of days betweenthe polyclinic interview and the surgery date were positively correlated with compliance with the advice togive up smoking (p = 0.011).Conclusion: Since the number of patients continuing to smoke cigarettes was high, it was concluded that verbaladvice on giving up smoking is not enough and that other more effective measures are needed to ensure patientcompliance. The reminder of 'quit smoking' on the day very close to the surgery may help more patients tostop smoking on that day