SMOKERS’ CHARACTERISTICS ASSOCIATED WITH SUCCESSFUL 
SMOKING CESSATION UNDERGOING PHARMACOTHERAPY IN SLOVENIA
ZNAČILNOSTI KADILCEV, POVEZANE Z USPEŠNIM OPUŠČANJEM 
KAJENJA S FARMAKOTERAPIJO V SLOVENIJI 
Marko DREŠČEK1*   , Špela MIROŠEVIČ1   , Janez RIFEL1   , Stjepan OREŠKOVIĆ2   , 
 Igor ŠVAB1   , Vesna HOMAR1,3    
1 University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, Poljanski nasip 58, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
2 University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Šalata 3 b, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
3 Vrhnika Primary Healthcare Centre, Cesta 6. maja 11, 1360 Vrhnika, Slovenia
Received: Mar 21, 2024
Accepted: Jul 22, 2024
Original scientific article
*Correspondence: marko.drescek@outlook.com
10.2478/sjph-2024-0024 Zdr Varst. 2024;63(4):180-187
180© National Institute of Public Health, Slovenia. 
Drešček M, Miroševič Š, Rifel J, Orešković S, Švab I, Homar V. Smokers’ characteristics associated with successful smoking cessation undergoing pharmacotherapy in Slovenia. 
Zdr Varst. 2024;63(4):180-187. doi: 10.2478/sjph-2024-0024.
ABSTRACT
Keywords: 
Tobacco use
Tobacco use disorder
Smoking cessation
Drug therapy
IZVLEČEK
Ključne besede: 
uporaba tobaka
odvisnost od nikotina
opuščanje kajenja
farmakoterapija 
Introduction: Tobacco use is a major global health problem, contributing to premature death and disability. In 
Slovenia, the prevalence of smoking is higher than the EU average, emphasizing the need for effective tobacco 
control measures. The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of patients most likely to benefit from 
pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. 
Methods: We performed cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with successful smoking cessation using 
pharmacotherapy for Slovenian smokers. A total of 176 (24.6%) smokers with an average age of 50 years agreed 
to receive pharmacotherapy for their smoking cessation attempt and were enrolled in the study. Participants 
were followed up at 4-week intervals during treatment and for 24 weeks after completion of pharmacotherapy.
Results: Attempts to quit smoking with prescription medications were successful in 24.4% of those willing to 
try. Female smokers, older persons, those with more children, with a lower self-perception of health, a higher 
number of cigarettes per day and a higher nicotine dependence were more likely to attempt to quit smoking. 
However, the strongest predictors of smoking cessation success were lower nicotine dependence, which was 
tested using the Fagerström test for nicotine dependence, and higher adherence to pharmacotherapy. 
Conclusion: Nicotine dependence and adherence to pharmacotherapy are the strongest predictors of a successful 
smoking cessation attempt. Identification of potential responders, prescription of pharmacotherapy and follow-
up are applicable in the primary healthcare setting.
Uvod: Kajenje je pomemben svetovni zdravstveni problem, ki prispeva k prezgodnji smrti in invalidnosti. 
Slovenija ima višjo razširjenost kajenja v primerjavi s povprečjem EU, kar poudarja potrebo po učinkovitih 
ukrepih za nadzor tobaka. Namen te študije je bil ugotoviti značilnosti bolnikov, ki jim bo farmakoterapija pri 
opuščanju kajenja najverjetneje koristila. 
Metode: Opravili smo presečno analizo dejavnikov, povezanih z uspešno opustitvijo kajenja z uporabo 
farmakoterapije pri slovenskih kadilcih. 176 kadilcev s povprečno starostjo 50 let se je strinjalo z uporabo 
farmakoterapije za poskus opustitve kajenja in so bili vključeni v študijo. Udeležence smo spremljali v 4-tedenskih 
intervalih med zdravljenjem in 24 tednov po zaključku farmakoterapije.
Rezultati: Poskus opustitve kajenja z zdravili na recept je bil uspešen pri 24,4 % kadilcev. Kadilke, starejše 
osebe, z več otroki, z nižjo samooceno zdravja, večjim številom pokajenih cigaret na dan in večjo odvisnostjo 
od nikotina so pogosteje poskušale opustiti kajenje. Vendar pa je bilo ugotovljeno, da sta manjša odvisnost od 
nikotina, preizkušena s Fagerströmovim testom za odvisnost od nikotina, in višja adherenca farmakoterapiji 
najmočnejša napovedna dejavnika uspeha pri opuščanju kajenja.
Zaključek: Odvisnost od nikotina in upoštevanje farmakoterapije sta najmočnejša napovedna dejavnika 
uspešnega poskusa opustitve kajenja. Tako identifikacija možnih odzivnikov in predpisovanje farmakoterapije 
kot nadaljnje spremljanje se lahko izvajajo v osnovnem zdravstvenem varstvu.
1 INTRODUCTION
Tobacco use is a leading preventable risk factor for 
noncommunicable chronic diseases and premature death 
worldwide, leading to more than eight million deaths and 
170.9 million disability-adjusted life-years lost each year 
(1). In 2019, more than one billion individuals worldwide 
were tobacco users. In Slovenia, the prevalence of smoking 
is 27.9%, which is higher than the EU average of 26.1% (2).
According to the Global Burden of Disease study, in 2019 
smoking was the second most important risk factor for 
female deaths and most important factor for male deaths 
worldwide (3). There is strong scientific evidence that 
tobacco use inflicts harm on almost every organ in the 
human body and has detrimental effects on overall health 
throughout one’s lifetime (4), but tobacco users are most 
at risk for developing lung cancer, chronic obstructive 
pulmonary disease (COPD) and ischemic heart disease 
due to smoking (5). Therefore, reducing tobacco use is 
essential for improving public health and limiting the 
tobacco epidemic (6).
Smoking also represents a heavy economic burden for 
healthcare systems throughout the world (3). This includes 
direct costs (costs of inpatient care, outpatient visits, 
drugs and diagnostic tests, transportation costs) and 
indirect costs (productivity lost, the cost of premature 
retirement and morbidity costs) (7). There are different 
approaches to limiting tobacco consumption and lowering 
the cost of treating patients for the effects of tobacco use. 
These efforts include various non-pharmacological smoking 
cessation programmes (8), the use of nicotine substitutes 
and pharmacotherapy (9). Thus smokers in the European 
Union (EU) approach smoking cessation differently (8–10). 
In Slovenia, the screening for smoking and tobacco use 
is carried out by registered nurses who are part of the 
family medicine (FM) team. Smokers are invited to attend 
individual or group smoking cessation programmes in 
Health Promotion Centres. In countries where prescription 
medicines are available, smokers may be offered this 
therapy to support the smoking cessation process.
In recent literature, successful smoking cessation has 
been correlated to factors such as age, gender, education 
level, cigarette consumption, past quitting attempts, self-
efficacy in quitting, presence of smoking family members, 
household smoking restrictions and nicotine dependency 
(11–14). Identifying potential respondents for smoking 
cessation pharmacotherapy based on nicotine dependency 
involves assessing the level of nicotine dependency of 
individuals. The two most used questionnaires used 
to evaluate nicotine dependency are the Fagerström 
Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and Heaviness of 
Smoking Index (HSI). FTND and HIS questionnaires had 
substantial agreement in measuring high levels of nicotine 
dependency (15).
10.2478/sjph-2024-0024 Zdr Varst. 2024;63(4):180-187
181
There is strong scientific evidence that FTND score is 
associated with smoking cessation success (16–18). However, 
the association of nicotine dependency and the role of 
pharmacotherapy to support the smoking cessation process 
has not yet been studied in Slovenia. Therefore, the aim 
of this study was to explore the association between the 
smokers’ characteristics and the success of pharmacotherapy 
for smoking cessation in Slovenian smokers.
2 METHODS 
2.1 Study design
The data used in this study come from part of a multicentre 
prospective non-inferiority clinical intervention supported 
by the Global Research Awards for Nicotine Dependence 
foundation (GRAND) (19). In this paper we describe 
the cross-sectional analysis of factors associated with 
successful smoking cessation using pharmacotherapy. The 
data for this analysis derived only from the Slovenian arm 
of the GRAND study and therefore reflect the setting and 
the population of Slovenian smokers. 
2.2 Setting
FM practices in Slovenia were invited to recruit patients 
for participation in the study, and purposive sampling 
was applied. Email invitations to the practices were sent 
using two databases: The Association of Family Medicine 
Doctors, which has 351 email addresses, and the Praktik.
Um family medicine physicians’ union, which has 725 
email addresses. The first 24 responding practices were 
included in the study. The average number of registered 
patients per FM practice in Slovenia is approximately 1,600 
patients, hence the FM practices included in the study 
reached out to approximately 38,400 appointed patients. 
2.3 Study population
The research sample consisted of tobacco users identified 
in the FM practice by their appointed FM specialist or 
registered nurse. Convenience sampling was used for 
recruiting the patients. A total of 715 consecutive tobacco 
users were asked if they were willing to attend a smoking 
cessation programme using pharmacotherapy. Out of 
these, 176 patients agreed to receive pharmacotherapy 
for their smoking cessation attempt and were enrolled in 
the study. Enrolment in the study took place from 14 July 
2020 to 4 November 2022. 
The inclusion criteria for participants were a) active 
smoking, defined by smoking more than 1 cigarette per 
day in the 30 days prior to inclusion, b) self-declared 
motivation for quitting smoking, c) having an appointed 
FM specialist and d) consent to participate in the study. 
Exclusion criteria were a) age below 18 years, b) cognitive 
impairment that results in not being able to answer the 
10.2478/sjph-2024-0024 Zdr Varst. 2024;63(4):180-187
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questionnaire, c) hypersensitivity or contraindications to 
pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation, specifically to 
cytisine or varenicline. 
Participants were enrolled in the study on a voluntary 
basis, were fully informed about the research procedures 
before signing the informed consent and were able to 
withdraw from the study at any point without explanation 
or consequence. The study was approved by the Slovenian 
National Medical Ethics Committee (KME 0120/133/2019/4).
2.4 Study protocol
176 smokers who expressed motivation to quit smoking 
using pharmacotherapy were randomly prescribed one 
of the two smoking cessation medications that were 
available at the time of the study (varenicline or cytisine). 
The envelope technique was used for randomization. 
Neither doctor nor patient knew what the allocated 
medication was, until opening the envelope. Participants 
were followed at 4-week intervals during treatment and 
for 24 weeks after completion of pharmacotherapy, i.e. a 
total of 28 weeks for cytisine and 36 weeks for varenicline 
due to the difference in treatment duration. There was no 
control group and no follow-up for smokers who did not 
receive pharmacotherapy.
2.5 Data collection
All smokers were invited to complete the set of 
questionnaires: The baseline interview questionnaire on 
smoking habits, FTND and sociodemographic information. 
The Slovenian version of FTND has been previously used 
in publications (20) issued by the Slovenian National 
Institute of Public Health (NIJZ). The FTND questionnaire 
is presented in supplement 1.
Variables age, gender, education level, cigarette 
consumption, past quitting attempts, self-efficacy in 
quitting, presence of smoking family members, household 
smoking restrictions and scores on the FTND scale were 
included in the data analysis. Self-assessment of “general 
health” was subjectively rated by the subjects in five 
categories from 1 (excellent) to 5 (poor). Adherence to 
pharmacotherapy was operationally defined as taking 
≥80% of the prescribed medication until completion of the 
treatment regimen.
2.6 Data analysis
The sample was calculated to ensure a representative 
cross-section of smokers in Slovenia utilising Cochran’s 
formula. According to data from the Statistical Office of 
the Republic of Slovenia, the prevalence of adult smokers 
in 2019 was 17.4% (n=233922). Therefore, a representative 
sample of smokers necessitated a minimum of 384 
participants (e=95%; z=5%). We anticipated that about 40% 
of smokers would express interest in pharmacotherapy 
to assist their smoking cessation attempt, therefore our 
target was to enroll at least 150 smokers for the analysis. 
The study utilised Research Electronic Data Capture 
(REDCap) database management technology for real-time 
data monitoring. Statistical analysis was performed using 
the IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 
Statistics 29. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, 
means and standard deviations or ranges and medians, 
were used to summarize demographic characteristics and 
FTND items. Variables associated with smoking cessation 
success were identified through univariate analysis. 
Furthermore, a multivariate logistic regression model 
between successful smoking cessation and potential 
predictors was constructed. A statistical significance level 
of p<0.05 was assumed for the hypothesis test.
Prior to the analysis, multicollinearity was evaluated by 
calculating the tolerance values and the variance inflation 
factor (VIF). In all cases, the VIF values were in the range 
of 1 to 2, indicating that there was no multicollinearity 
between the variables.
In total, the data set contained 1.71% missing values, which 
affected only four variables, with no discernible pattern. 
To compensate for these missing values and obtain 
unbiased estimates, multiple imputation was performed. 
The assumption of normal distribution was checked using 
a Kolmogorov-Smirnov test with a random sample.
3 RESULTS
3.1 Demographic characteristics
A total of 715 smokers were invited to participate in the 
study. Of these, 24.6% were willing to attempt smoking 
cessation (responders), and the majority did not attempt 
smoking cessation (non-responders). The demographic and 
clinical characteristics of responders and non-responders 
are presented in Table 1. 
10.2478/sjph-2024-0024 Zdr Varst. 2024;63(4):180-187
183
Demographic and clinical characteristics of responders and non-responders (n=715).
Legend: FTND - Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; SD – standard deviation.
Responders n (%) Non-responders n (%) P valueCharacteristics
Table 1.
No. of smokers 
Age, mean (SD)  
Range in years 
Missing values
Gender 
Female 
Male
Education 
Primary school or less 
Completed secondary school 
Completed university 
Missing values
Marital status 
Married 
In relationship 
Single 
Widowed/divorced 
Missing values
No. of children, mean (SD) 
Missing values
General health, mean (SD)  
Missing values
No. of cigarettes per day, mean (SD)  
Missing values
Age at start of smoking, mean (SD) 
Missing values
Dependence (FTND, 0-10), mean (SD) 
Missing values
176 (24.6) 
50.9 (11.7) 
23-73 
 
96 (54.5) 
80 (45.5)
 
38 (21.6) 
118 (67.0) 
20 (11.4) 
 
82 (46.6) 
54 (30.7) 
24 (13.6) 
16 (9.1) 
1.65 (1.1)
 
3.1 (1.0)
 
19.2 (8.8) 
19.5 (3.3) 
4.72 (2.1)
539 (75.4) 
47.2 (14.2) 
18-84 
11 (2.0)
 
242 (45.8) 
297 (54.2)
 
103 (19.1) 
362 (67.2) 
64 (11.9) 
10 (1.9)
 
205 (38.0) 
162 (30.1) 
90 (16.7) 
71 (13.2) 
11 (2.0)
1.34 (1.0) 
14 (2.6)
2.70 (0.97) 
11 (2.0)
15.7 (9.1) 
21 (3.9)
18.9 (5.0) 
8 (1.5)
3.89 (2.0) 
15 (2.8)
<0.01 
 
 
 
<0.05 
 
0.83 
 
 
 
0.16 
 
 
 
<0.01 
<0.01 
<0.01 
0.69 
<0.01
3.2 Factors associated with successful smoking 
cessation
Potential predictors in successful smoking cessation 
using pharmacotherapy are presented in Table 2. Fewer 
cigarettes per day, lower nicotine dependence and higher 
adherence to pharmacotherapy were associated with 
successful smoking cessation.
Univariate analysis exploring potential predictors in 
successful smoking cessation (n=176).
Multivariate logistic regression between successful 
smoking cessation and potential predictors (n=176).
Legend: FTND - Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; OR - 
odds ratio; CI - Confidence interval.
Legend: FTND - Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; OR - 
odds ratio; CI - Confidence interval.
OR OR95% CI 95% CIP value P valueVariables Variables
Table 2. Table 3.
Age
Gender
Education (ref. Primary School) 
Completed secondary school 
Completed university
Partnered (yes/no)
No. of children
Age of starting to smoke
No. of cigarettes per day
No. of quit attempts
Confidence in quitting (0-10)
Other family members 
smoking (no/yes)
Household smoking restrictions 
(ref. smoking everywhere) 
Nobody smokes inside 
Smoking in some areas
Dependence (FTND, 0-10)
Adherence
Treatment type 
(Varenicline/Cytisine)
General health (0-5)
Age
Education (ref. Primary School) 
Completed secondary school 
Completed university
Other family members 
smoking (no/yes)
Household smoking restrictions 
(ref. smoking everywhere) 
Nobody smokes inside
No. of days of smoking 
No. of cigarettes per day
No. of quit attempts
Confidence in quitting (0-10)
Dependence (FTND, 0-10)
Adherence
General health (0-5)
1.02
0.95
 
0.47 
0.42
1.23
1.00
1.04
0.96
1.08
0.97
1.69 
 
 
2.92 
2.67
0.73
2.55
0.69 
0.73
1.04
 
0.60 
1.61
1.02 
 
 
2.47
0.96
1.00
1.00
1.09
0.75
3.53
0.70
0.99-1.05
0.47-1.88
 
0.15-1.49 
0.16-1.15
0.55-2.74
0.73-1.36
0.97-1.11
0.91-1.00
0.98-1.20
0.97-1.29
0.84-3.38 
 
 
0.62-13.70 
0.56-12.74
0.31-0.74
1.20-5.38
0.34-1.38 
0.51-1.04
0.99-1.08
 
0.21-1.69 
0.38-6.81
0.44-2.35 
 
 
0.45-13.61
0.85-1.08
0.95-1.06
0.88-1.14
0.92-1.28
0.58-0.96
1.47-8.51
0.43-1.16
0.17
0.87
 
0.19 
0.09
0.61
0.99
0.28
0.04
0.13
0.19
0.14 
 
 
0.17 
0.22
<0.01
<0.01
0.29 
0.08
0.06
 
0.32 
0.52
0.96 
 
 
0.30
0.50
0.97
0.94
0.33
0.02
<0.01
0.17
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A multivariate logistic regression model between 
successful smoking cessation and potential predictors was 
constructed (Table 3). Dependence and adherence were 
proven to be the statistically significant predictors for 
successful smoking cessation. 
The model was found to be statistically significant (p<0.01), 
overall showing a good model fit. The predictors explained 
by the model were better explained in the group that did 
not successfully complete the treatment (97% correct 
prediction). Nevertheless, the model was able to explain 
24% of the variability of the dependent variable. 
4 DISCUSSION
This study showed that almost a quarter of smokers 
undergoing pharmacotherapy successfully quit smoking for 
a 24-week interval. The statistically significant predictors 
of smoking cessation success were nicotine dependence 
and adherence to pharmacotherapy. 
The cross-sectional analysis that was performed aimed 
to investigate factors associated with the success of 
smoking cessation facilitated by pharmacotherapy. Out of 
715 invited participants, 24.6% opted to attempt smoking 
cessation using prescription medications, specifically 
cytisine and varenicline, with a success rate of 24.3% over 
the 24-week observation period.
The univariate analysis among 715 invited participants 
(Table 1) showed that female smokers, older smokers and 
smokers with a higher number of children were more likely 
to try to quit smoking. In addition, those who reported 
poorer general health, higher daily cigarette consumption 
and higher nicotine dependence were more likely to 
engage in smoking cessation initiatives. 
A multivariate logistic regression model between 
successful smoking cessation and potential predictors was 
constructed (Table 3). Dependence and adherence were 
proven to be the statistically significant predictors for 
successful smoking cessation. 
In 176 patients who used prescription medicine, univariate 
analysis identified dependence, adherence and lower daily 
cigarette consumption to be correlated with the smoking 
cessation. However, lower daily cigarette consumption 
did not prove significant in the multivariate model. In this 
study, the FTND served as a critical measure for assessing 
nicotine dependence and showed a robust association with 
the effectiveness of smoking cessation using the prescribed 
medications studied. The results of our study also show 
that treatment adherence to non-NRT pharmacological 
therapy is essential for smoking cessation, regardless of 
the medication used (cytisine or varenicline). 
Our findings align with prior research indicating that 
various demographic factors correlate with the likelihood 
of successfully quitting smoking through pharmacotherapy. 
These factors include age, gender, level of education, 
marital status, presence of children and self-assessment 
of health status (11, 12, 21, 22). However, after adjusting 
for other variables in the multivariate regression 
model, only nicotine dependence and adherence to 
pharmacotherapy protocols were found to be statistically 
significant predictors of smoking cessation success. A 
larger sample size would probably confirm or reject the 
significance of previous sociodemographic variables. This 
observation is consistent with several studies indicating 
that FTND scores are an indicator of successful smoking 
cessation (16–18). Indeed, Fagerström’s study has shown 
that higher FTND scores correlate with a lower probability 
of being abstinent at week 24 (16). Our study confirms 
this relationship in the context of pharmacotherapeutic 
interventions. Furthermore, our results highlight the utility 
of FTND scores in the assessment phase in identifying 
smokers at increased risk of non-adherence to subsequent 
treatment sessions (23). Studies on adherence to nicotine 
replacement therapy (NRT) have shown that adherence 
doubles the rate of successful smoking cessation (24), 
and there is a positive correlation between adherence to 
treatment and tobacco abstinence, with early abstinence 
experience being a strong driver of adherence (25). 
Several studies have found a strong relationship between 
the number of cigarettes smoked and smoking cessation 
(26, 27), and a longitudinal study of 17,155 persistent 
smokers who were followed over a six-year period showed 
that higher daily cigarette consumption, shorter intervals 
before the first cigarette of the day and regular daily 
smoking patterns resulted in a lower probability of smoking 
cessation (13). Regarding prescription medications, Noor 
et al. showed that lower daily cigarette consumption is 
associated with a higher likelihood of becoming smoke-
free in people undergoing varenicline treatment (28). 
However, in the multivariate logistic model of our study, 
this variable was no longer recognized as a significant 
factor associated with smoking cessation. It is possible 
that FTND and adherence to treatment might mediate 
or moderate the relationship between daily cigarette 
consumption and smoking cessation.
Among other factors investigated, including age, gender, 
self-perceived general health and number of children, 
none emerged as a predictive factor for smoking cessation 
success in our study population, although they were 
associated with a higher likelihood of attempting smoking 
cessation. Several other predictors for both trying to quit 
and successful cessation were described in the literature 
(29), but none demonstrated statistical significance in 
our population. There are several possible reasons for 
this outcome, including complex interactions between 
variables that could not be fully explored due to a limited 
sample size. 
The pharmacological approach to smoking cessation is 
widely acknowledged as safe and efficacious, warranting 
consideration for all individuals committed to quit smoking 
(9, 19). Notably, varenicline, cytisine treatment and NRT 
are all effective methods for smoking cessation (30). 
Although a trial by Courtney et al. failed to demonstrate 
noninferiority of cytisine compared with varenicline 
regarding smoking cessation (31), the standard 4-week 
cytisine treatment was shown to be less effective than 
the standard 12-week varenicline treatment for smoking 
cessation in the trial by Orešković et al. (19).
Our study has several notable strengths. While references 
demonstrate the importance of nicotine dependence 
for smoking cessation success, the significance of 
adherence to smoking cessation medications is novel in 
this context.  Our study’s key advantage is demonstrating 
how medication adherence can improve smoking cessation 
effectiveness in real-world clinical settings. The biggest 
strength of our research is its practical application in a 
real family medicine setting. The tools we used to identify 
candidates for smoking cessation medication can be easily 
integrated into routine primary care. Additionally, using 
two different types of smoking cessation medications 
underscores the thoroughness of our study.
However, our study also has some limitations. First, 
the small sample size limits the statistical robustness 
required for an individualized analysis of the efficacy 
of each medication. Nonetheless, the observed 
similarity in outcomes between the two medications 
supports the generalisability of our findings to different 
pharmacotherapeutic approaches to smoking cessation. 
There was no control group and no follow-up for smokers 
who did not receive pharmacotherapy. Furthermore, 
because we rely on cross-sectional data, we are limited 
in our ability to establish definitive causal relationships or 
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temporal sequences between smoking cessation success 
and associated factors. This limitation underscores the 
need for future longitudinal studies to elucidate the 
dynamic interplay of these variables over time. 
There was no connection with real participant data, 
which limited the interpretation of results, particularly 
concerning non-respondents in the context of mental 
health, previous addiction diseases and socioeconomic 
status, all of which heavily influence continued smoking 
according to findings from previous studies (21). Also, 
the success of quitting smoking can be affected by the 
condition during or after treatment and by recovering 
from a serious illness (32, 33). Moreover, it is possible that 
more motivated FM enrolled patients participated in the 
study, and this can also be reflected in the population 
of their patients. While we have not included these 
variables in our data collection, we want to emphasize 
their importance and acknowledge their potential impact 
on the outcomes.
5 CONCLUSION
This study highlights the central role of reduced nicotine 
dependence and higher adherence to pharmacotherapy as 
robust predictors of smoking cessation success when using 
pharmacotherapy. This finding enables the identification 
of potential responders to pharmacotherapeutic 
interventions and facilitates targeted prescribing and 
follow-up in primary healthcare. Moving forward, it is 
imperative to investigate the efficacy and outcomes 
of targeted pharmacotherapy prescription for smoking 
cessation through further research efforts. Such 
investigations will not only improve our understanding of 
the role of pharmacotherapy in smoking cessation, but will 
also enable the development of tailored interventions to 
optimise smoking cessation outcomes more broadly (20).
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
We would like to acknowledge and thank all subjects 
participating in the survey.
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
The study was financed by Global Research Awards for 
Nicotine Dependence, WI231434/Pfizer. Janez Rifel was 
lead investigator for the Slovenian arm of this research. The 
funding sources had no role in the study design, collection, 
analysis or interpretation of data, writing of the report or 
the decision to submit the article for publication. Other 
authors have no conflict of interest to declare.
10.2478/sjph-2024-0024 Zdr Varst. 2024;63(4):180-187
186
FUNDING 
The study was financed by Global Research Awards for 
Nicotine Dependence, WI231434/Pfizer.
ETHICAL APPROVAL
The authors of this paper hereby declare that the study 
complies with the Declaration of Helsinki and has been 
approved by the Slovenian National Medical Ethics 
Committee (KME 0120/133/2019/4).
AVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS 
Access to the data is subject to approval and a data-
sharing agreement.
ORCID
Marko Drešček: 
https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3522-9178
Špela Miroševič: 
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5004-0607 
Janez Rifel: 
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9594-4271 
Stjepan Orešković: 
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9315-875X 
Igor Švab: 
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1303-4974 
Vesna Homar: 
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1670-6625
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