Impact of Covid -19 on caller characteristics and quit rates: An experience from regional tobacco Quitline from India.

ABSTRACT: The tobacco epidemic is a major health concern amplified by Covid-19. We aimed to study differences in caller profiles to the regional tobacco quitline services of South India during the Covid-19 pandemic in comparison with the pre-pandemic. Using a descriptive cross-sectional research design, we examined registered caller profiles to the quitline between March and July 2019 (Pre-Pandemic N=7845) and the same months in 2020 (Covid-19 pandemic phase N=6447) phases. The proportion of registered callers with an expressed intent to quit tobacco increased by 1.73 times during pandemic (16.7% versus 9.6%). Health concerns were cited as the major reason (93.25%) to quit tobacco in 2020 as compared to 2019 (88.02%). Cough (28.50%) and psychological difficulties (14.20%) were reported significantly

SUBMITTER: Kumar P C P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8807263 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature