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A Cross-Country Study of Smoking Cessation Assistance Utilization in 16 Low and Middle Income Countries: Data From the Global Adult Tobacco Survey (2008-2012).

INTRODUCTION
While it is clear that tobacco use has been increasing in developing countries, it is unclear whether smokers in these countries utilize cessation assistance to quit. We examined the extent to which smokers in developing countries use assistance when making a cessation attempt.


METHODS
Data from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 16 low and middle income countries were analyzed. This nationally representative household survey collected data on assistance that smokers used to quit, such as provider advice, pharmacotherapy, and quit lines between 2008 and 2012.


RESULTS
Use of any of the recommended assistance in the past 12 months varied greatly in lower middle income countries (4% to 27%), and to a lesser extent in upper middle income countries (5% to 18%). Counseling and pharmacotherapy were more commonly used than other types of assistance, though the prevalence was low across countries (counseling: 1% to 15%; pharmacotherapy: 1% to 27%). Quit lines were rarely used (0.1% to 1.5%). The average age of assistance users and nonusers was both around 40. In general, past users of cessation assistance tended to have higher education levels than nonusers.


CONCLUSIONS
Cessation assistance is underused in these low and middle income countries. Tobacco control advocates in these countries should work on ways to promote use of cessation assistance to enhance quit rates.