Epidemiological profile of patients consulting for smoking cessation in Tunisia from 2020 to 2023

Abstract Background Tobacco addiction poses a significant global health challenge, contributing to various diseases and premature mortality. The main objective of our work was to describe the epidemiological profile of smokers seeking assistance at the smoking cessation departement of the ‘Abderrahmane Mami’ hospital. Methods We conducted a retrospective study involving smokers who attended the smoking cessation department between January 2020 and December 2023. Data were collected from the consultants’ records. The descriptive study was conducted using IBM SPSS 25 software. Results The number of consultants was 440 during the years of the study. The study population was predominantly male (75.2%). The average age of the consultants was 45.41 ± 13.9 years [14-89 years]. The education level of the patients was predominantly university-level (42.4%), followed by secondary education (33.6%). Cardiovascular history was the most common (22.42%). More than half of the consultants (n = 279; 63.4%) had tried to quit smoking at least once. More than half of the smokers followed (57.9%) were highly dependent on nicotine (Fagestrom score ≥ 7). The mean score of the hospital anxiety and depression scale was 8.03 ± 5.398 for anxiety and 5.44 ± 5.185 for depression. Conclusions Our study provides informations about the epidemiological profile of individuals seeking tobacco cessation support during the study period. The findings underscore the diverse demographic and clinical characteristics of this population. Understanding these profiles can provide information for the development of effective anti-tobacco programs. Key messages • Tailored interventions are essential to meet the diverse needs of people seeking smoking cessation, optimizing the impact on public health. • Understanding cessation seeker profiles crucial for effective strategies.