Knowledge Level of Kocaeli�s Population Regarding Smoking and Smoking Cessation

Knowledge Level of Kocaeli’s Population Regarding Smoking and Smoking Cessation

Background: A questionnaire was designed and administered to people living in Kocaeli province, Turkey, in order to determine their level of knowledge about smoking before the initiation of a social responsibility project aimed at increasing the smoking cessation rates in Kocaeli. Material-Method: The sample selection was made on the basis of the population sizes of 12 counties in Kocaeli province; participants over the age of 18 completed the questionnaire over the phone. Results: A total of 2721 participants were included in the study. It was found that the knowledge level about smoking-related diseases was quite high, and the conditions mentioned most frequently by the participants were lung diseases, cancer, and cardiac diseases. Only 2.8% of the subjects reported that they had no information about the harmful effects of smoking. Knowledge level was not different among age groups or educational levels of the participants. The percentage of subjects who believed that smoking cessation was a matter of personal will power was 49%, while only 8.4% reported that medical support was required. The most recalled anti-smoking activities were the recent law prohibiting smoking in enclosed areas and commercials about smoke-free air.