INTRODUCTION China has the largest number of smokers in the world. The great majority of China’s smokers desire to quit smoking (QS); however, the success rate of self-quitting is low. This study investigated the effects of smoking cessation (SC) clinics in a cancer hospital in Hunan province and determined the influencing factors of successful SC. METHODS Smokers were recruited to QS by healthcare workers in the SC clinic from February 2015 to February 2019. SC counseling was provided and telephone follow-up was conducted at 1 week, and at 1, 3 and 6 months. Patients who continued SC during the follow-up period were considered to have QS. RESULTS Of the 344 patients included in this study, 16.3% QS at one week, 26.5% at one month, 27.6% at three months, and 31.7% at six months. Age ≥60 years, previous SC attempts, immediate quit dates, and telephone follow-up times (3–4 calls) were predictive factors for smokers to SC at six months. CONCLUSIONS Age, previous attempts to QS, immediate quit dates and telephone follow-up times were independent predictors of SC success at six months. SC clinics and frequent telephone follow-up improve the success rate of SC, especially in patients who have previously tried to QS or in those who set immediate quit dates.

INTRODUCTION Travel and living environment restrictions, which may have positive or negative effects on smoking-related behaviors, were implemented to limit the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to compare the baseline clinical characteristics and smoking cessation (SC) rate at 3 months of patients in an SC clinic in Hunan Province, China before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and identify influencing factors of successful SC. METHODS Healthy patients at the SC clinic aged ≥18 years before the COVID-19 pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic were divided into groups A and B, respectively. The two groups' demographic data and smoking characteristics were compared, and SC interventions were applied by the same medical staff team through telephone follow-up and counselling during the SC procedure. RESULTS Groups A and B included 306 and 212 patients, respectively, with no significant differences in demographic data. The SC rates of group A (pre COVID-19) and group B (during the COVID-19 pandemic) at 3 months were 23.5% and 30.7%, respectively, after the first SC visit. Those who chose to quit immediately or within 7 days were more successful than those who did not choose a quit date (p=0.002, p=0.000). Patients who learned about the SC clinic via network resources and other methods were more likely to succeed than those who learned about the clinic from their doctor or hospital publications (p=0.064, p=0.050). CONCLUSIONS Planning to quit smoking immediately or within 7 days of visiting the SC clinic and learning about the SC clinic via the network media or other methods improved the likelihood of successful SC. SC clinics and the harm of tobacco should be promoted via network media. During consultation, the smokers should be encouraged to quit smoking immediately and establish an SC plan, which would help them to quit smoking.