The high prevalence of smoking individuals, the rising trend of tobacco-related illnesses and the lack of implementation of smoking ban policy in the municipality give rise to uncontrolled smoking and the need for a smoking cessation strategy. This study aims to compare the effects of anti-smoking lecture with daily text advisory (DTA) versus Quit & Win contest on the smoking behaviors of smokers ages 18-80 years old in two barangays of Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur. The study utilized a pre- and post-interventional comparative design among 38 participants and 45 participants, respectively. A lecture assembly on the ill-effects of smoking and the biochemical and socio-economic benefits of quitting complemented with daily motivational SMS were conducted in the Lecture with DTA group for a month-duration with a starting quit period on February 19, 2018. The quit period for the Quit and Win group began on February 21, 2018 preceded by a Smoker’s Assembly which mainly oriented them on the mechanics of the contest. The Lecture with DTA group had a 29.92% participation rate while the counterpart has 30.20% participation rate. In post-intervention 1, a total of 5 (13.16%) verified quitters were identified in the Lecture with DTA which dropped to 10.53% and 7.89% in post-intervention 2 and 3, respectively. The Quit and Win group had only 1 quitter (2.22% quit rate) in the entire duration of study. Upon statistical treatment of the data, a p-value of 0.058 was derived between the two groups’ quit rates therefore, of no significant difference.

Keyword: Anti-smoking lecture Daily text advisory versus quit and win contest Smoking behaviors 18-20 years old