COMPARISON OF THE CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN MALE MYANMAR SMOKERS WITH INTENTION TO QUIT SMOKING AND THOSE WITHOUT INTENTION TO QUIT

Background: Cigarette smoking has been the causes for preventable deaths and various diseases among people for a long time. The purpose of this study was to access the differences between socio-demographic factors, current smoking practice, nicotine dependence, past smoking quit attempts, attitudes, perceived social norms and self-efficacy of Myanmar male smokers with intention to quit smoking and those without intention to quit smoking. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in four townships of Yangon, Myanmar during May to June, 2016. Total respondents of 339 male smokers, 18 years and above were assessed their intention to quit smoking. Chi-square test was used to assess the association; and the significant variables were analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression. Results: In the study, it reported that 128 male smokers had no intention to quit smoking. The factors associated with the intention to quit smoking of Myanmar male smokers were highest attitudes male smokers comparing with the lowest ones (OR = 8.369, 95% CI = 3.746 - 18.700); and the male smokers, who were allowed to smoke at workplace 56%, were less likely to have quitting intention (OR = 0.564, 95% CI = 0.342 - 0.930). Although history of quit attempts to smoking was associated with the intention to quit in Chi square analysis (p-value < 0.001), it was not a predictor of quitting intention in logistic regression. Conclusion: Workplace smoking ban, attitudes and self-efficacy towards smoking cessation may contribute to smoking cessation of male Myanmar smokers. Smoking intervention programs involving these factors should be considered in Myanmar.