P. Cawston et J. Mcewen, 3-YEAR FOLLOW-UP SURVEY OF SMOKERS WHO ATTENDED GOOD HEARTED GLASGOW SCREENING SESSIONS, Public health, 108(3), 1994, pp. 185-194
Objective: To investigate recall of advice and changes in lifestyle am
ongst smokers who attended 'Good Hearted Glasgow' screening sessions o
ver three years ago. Design: Follow-up survey based on a postal questi
onnaire. Answers were compared with the information obtained by 'Good
Hearted Glasgow' at the time of the screening session. Setting: Two ge
neral practices in Glasgow. Subjects: 266 smokers who had attended scr
eening sessions at the two practices over three years ago. Main outcom
e measures: Recall of the advice given; changes which the participants
have made in relevant aspects of their lifestyle (smoking, alcohol in
take, fat intake, weight loss) since the event; how helpful the partic
ipants perceived the advice given at the time to have been in encourag
ing smoking cessation. Results: the response rate was 53% (60% female,
42% male). In total, 94% recalled being advised to stop smoking, 77%
have attempted to stop smoking and 11% have stopped smoking. Amongst t
hose in the sample who were heavy drinkers at the time, 75% recall bei
ng advised to reduce their intake, 56% have attempted to do so and 36%
have successfully done so. Amongst those with a raised blood choleste
rol concentration, 52% recall it as being high, 68% recalled being adv
ised to reduce their fat intake, 83% have attempted to do so and 53% c
laim to be on a low fat diet. Of those who were overweight, 68% recall
ed being advised to lose weight, 77% have attempted to do so and 36% h
ave succeeded in doing so. Conclusions: A high proportion of smokers w
ho attended 'Good Hearted Glasgow' screening sessions have attempted t
o stop smoking three years -on but only a small proportion have succes
sfully done so. This compares unfavourably with claimed changes in alc
ohol intake, fat intake and weight loss.