Sociodemographic and psychosocial determinants of ıntention to quit tobacco smoking among Turkish adults: a community-based cross-sectional study

Despite global progress in the field of tobacco control, rates of cessation intentions remain low in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including Türkiye. It is imperative to comprehend the multifaceted factors that influence individuals' intentions to quit smoking to formulate efficacious tobacco control strategies. This community-based cross-sectional study explored sociodemographic and psychosocial factors as predictors of intention to quit tobacco smoking among adults in Türkiye. Intention to quit was assessed using a three-stage model: non-contemplation, undecided, and contemplation. Multinomial logistic regression was employed to analyze the associations between the intention stage and various predictors, including perceived financial hardship, social factors, and motives. Tobacco users' quit intentions varied by sociodemographic and psychosocial factors. Financial hardship (AOR = 3.62; 95% CI: 1.44, 9.08) and difficulty with smoking bans (AOR = 2.88; 95% CI: 1.35, 6.15) increased the likelihood of being undecided. Primary (AOR = 0.29; 95% CI: 0.10, 0.81) and high school education (AOR = 0.24; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.56), as well as initiation due to emulation (AOR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21, 0.90), were linked to lower likelihood of contemplation. Conversely, adverse life events (AOR = 2.57; 95% CI: 1.14, 5.80) and enjoyment (AOR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.15, 4.02) increased contemplation, while peer influence predicted significantly lower odds of being in the contemplation stage (AOR = 0.44; 95% CI: 0.22, 0.90). This study underlines the sociodemographic and psychological determinants of tobacco use among adults in Türkiye. Public health interventions should prioritize the groups with low health literacy, limited resources, and strong social and peer influences.