Abstract

Introduction: Smoking is considered one of the leading public health problems with a direct heavy toll on lives, and indirectly, via passive inhalation of tobacco smoke. Smoking is a severe public health problem and can lead to substantial health and economic consequences.

Aim of Study: To identify factors motivating smokers to quit smoking among adult Saudi smokers in the Aseer Region, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This study followed a cross-sectional research design. It included 428 Saudi adults, who are currently cigarette smokers, registered at the Smoking Cessation Clinics in Aseer Region, and who wish to quit smoking. The selection of participants was done by systematic random sampling. The data was collected by using the “Tobacco Programme Management System” questionnaire, along with some other motivational factors for getting the maximum responses from the participants.

Results: The majority of quitters were males (95.6%). Almost two-thirds of quitters (60.3%) started smoking by the age of 15-20 years. Most quitters (75%) were cigarette smokers for more than 15 years. The main motives for quitting cigarette smoking were to improve health status (39.5%), followed by having a better quality of life (27.3%), and to save the costs of smoking cigarettes (19.9%). Motives for quitting differed significantly according to their place of residence, age groups, and educational level.

Conclusion: The majority of current Saudi cigarette-smoking quitters are young males, well-educated with no or low monthly income. Most smokers start cigarette smoking during their adolescence.

Recommendations: Parents should play an important role to motivate quitting smoking and keeping their young kids away from smoking. School-based tobacco prevention and cessation programs should be enforced.

Keywords: Cigarette Smoking, Smoking Cessation, Motives, Fagerström Scores.