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Need for Smoking Cessation Support for Better Health of Employees

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Chemistry: The Key to our Sustainable Future

Abstract

Tobacco is a silent killer, with more than 400 poisonous chemical substances. The use of tobacco is driven by dependence on nicotine, the primary addictive substance in tobacco. Smoking in the workplace has adverse effects on both the employee health and productivity. Hence, it is important to raise awareness on the need to quit smoking. The objectives of the study were to determine the intention to quit smoking and cessation attempts among employees of an educational institution, to assess the association between level of dependence and the Trans-Theoretical Model of Change and to identify the smoking cessation facilities available in Mauritius. This study had a mixed approach. In the quantitative part, smokers were recruited using a convenience sampling. The inclusion criteria were employees who were current smokers. A validated questionnaire adapted from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey questionnaire was used. The qualitative part evaluated the facilities available at the Smoking Cessation Clinics set up in Mauritius. The findings showed that 81 % of the participants intended to quit smoking and most of them planned to quit within the next month. Three major obstacles to relapse were identified. Awareness of smoking cessation techniques was low but willingness to use nicotine replacement therapy and other support therapy was high. This study highlighted the need to implement free smoking cessation programs on work premises to cater for the needs of employees so that they stop inhaling poisonous chemical substances which jeopardize the health and future of employees.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, Faculty of Science, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius

    Marie Chan Sun & Jevisha Erriah

  2. Department of Management, Faculty of Law and Management, University of Mauritius, Réduit, Mauritius

    Deerajen Ramasawmy

Authors
  1. Marie Chan Sun
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  2. Jevisha Erriah
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  3. Deerajen Ramasawmy
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Correspondence to Marie Chan Sun .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Mauritius Dept of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Reduit, Mauritius

    Minu Gupta Bhowon

  2. University of Mauritius Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Reduit, Mauritius

    Sabina Jhaumeer-Laulloo

  3. University of Mauritius Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Reduit, Mauritius

    Henri Li Kam Wah

  4. University of Mauritius Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Reduit, Mauritius

    Ponnadurai Ramasami

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Sun, M.C., Erriah, J., Ramasawmy, D. (2014). Need for Smoking Cessation Support for Better Health of Employees. In: Gupta Bhowon, M., Jhaumeer-Laulloo, S., Li Kam Wah, H., Ramasami, P. (eds) Chemistry: The Key to our Sustainable Future. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7389-9_8

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