Abstract

A cross-sectional study was conducted from 2022 to 2023 among adult smokers admitted to the medical and cardiology wards of a Malaysian tertiary hospital to profile their health status, tobacco use behaviours, and cessation readiness. Data collection involved the use of the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scales, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and the transtheoretical model of behavioural change. The median age of the 488 recruited patients was 50 years, and the majority were male (99.8%). The median body mass index was 24.8 kg/m2, with 63.8% classified as either pre-obese or obese. Cardiology-related diagnoses were the most common reason for admission (38.1%). Psychological assessments revealed that most patients had normal scores for depression (88.1%), anxiety (78.1%), and stress (88.3%). The majority of patients (71.7%) had attempted smoking cessation, with 64.9% reporting abrupt quitting and 8.3% utilising pharmacotherapy. Approximately half of the patients (54.5%) had low nicotine dependence (Median FTND score = 3), and 78.5% expressed cessation readiness within the next month. Prior quit attempts adjusted odds ratios (aOR 1.73, p = 0.019) and Malay ethnicity (aOR 1.85, p = 0.028) were significant predictors of cessation readiness. The findings provide valuable insights into tailoring targeted interventions among hospitalized smokers.

Key words: Sociodemographic factors, tobacco use disorder, hospitalized smokers, Malaysia, smoking cessation