Promoting Smoking Cessation in Costa Rica: A Focus Group Study of Smokers and Ex-Smokers.

In developing worksite smoking cessation programs in Costa Rica, it is necessary to gain an understanding of smokers and ex-smokers. For smokers, it was necessary to know the barriers to quitting and what they thought may help them. For ex-smokers, we wanted to identify the main factors that helped them to successfully quit. Two separate focus groups were conducted of smokers (n = 6) and ex-smokers (n = 9) who worked at the Department of Justice. Results indicated that the key factors for both ex-smokers and smokers were social factors-family and coworkers. Participants viewed family support as fundamental to successful quitting. Smokers mentioned that the Justice Department could help them stop smoking by eliciting the support of ex-smoking coworkers. Major barriers to quitting were workplace stress and the presence of other smokers. In conclusion, family members and ex-smoking coworkers can play an important role in worksite smoking cessation programs in Costa Rica.

[Psychometric properties of the diabetes mellitus 2 treatment adherence scale version III (EATDM-III) adapted for Chilean patients]. / Análisis preliminares de la versión adaptada en población chilena de la escala de adherencia terapéutica en diabetes mellitus tipo 2--EATDM-III.

BACKGROUND: The Diabetes Mellitus 2 treatment adherence scale version III (EATDM-III) was devised in Costa Rica. Its seven factors are family support, community organization and support, physical exercise, medical control, hygiene and self-care and assessment of physical condition. AIM: To assess the psychometric properties of the scale in Chilean patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of the EATDM-III scale, applied to 274 patients with Diabetes Mellitus 2 aged 59 ± 11 years (59% women), were analyzed. Reliability, item, exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses were carried out both in the initial and the proposed model. RESULTS: We propose a version of 30 items grouped in six dimensions, improving the fit indices obtained with the original scale. The review of item factor loadings shows that all are appropriate both in magnitude and statistical significance, with values between 0.46 and 0.93. Internal consistency measured by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.85 for the total scale. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted EATDM-III scale is reliable and can be used to assess treatment adherence in Chilean patients.