Comparison of cardiovascular risk calculation and 5A-5R Approach in smoking cessation in smokers individuals aged 18-40 years

Aim: Smoking is a major public health problem worldwide. This study aimed to examine whether there is a difference between cardiovascular risk assessment and the 5A-5R approach to smoking cessation, the effects of cardiovascular risk assessment on smoking cessation behavior, and to observe the effect of a strong and clear smoking cessation advice on smoking cessation. Method: Our intervention study was conducted between June 2023 and July 2023 at Karadeniz Technical University Family Medicine outpatient clinic. Voluntary individuals aged 18-40 years who smoked 10 cigarettes/day for at least one year and had a lipid profile within 6 months were included in the study. 164 participants were randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio. A questionnaire form prepared by the researchers inquiring sociodemographic characteristics and smoking status was completed face-to-face in both groups. The Control group was explicitly advised to quit smoking using the 5A-5R strategy, and the Intervention group was explicitly advised to quit smoking by calculating the 10-year cardiovascular risk in young people with the 2019 ESC/EAS guidelines. At the end of 6 months, their smoking status was learned by phone or face-to-face interviews. Results: The median age of the 164 participants was 33 (IQR: 25-37) years. 58.5% (n=96) of the participants were male. 61.6% (n=101) of the participants were not asked about smoking at the last outpatient clinic visit. 36% (n=59) of the participants had not been advised to quit smoking by any department before. At the end of six months, the number of participants who tried to quit smoking even for one day was 29.3% (n=24) in the control group and 42.7% (n=35) in the intervention group (p=0.073). Conclusion: Smoking cessation advice using the applied cardiovascular risk calculation has led to as many smoking cessation attempts as the 5A-5R model. Every referral should be seen as an opportunity. Keywords: Smoking, Smoking cessation, Cardiovascular risk, Motivational interviewing