Exploring the capacity of smoking cessation services in the Philippines

INTRODUCTION: In the Philippines, smoking prevalence among adult smokers is slowly decreasing from 23.8% in 2015 to 19.5% in 2021. Despite this decline, evidence shows that while two-thirds of smokers consider quitting, only half receive quit advice from healthcare providers. This study aims to assess the readiness and capacity of health facilities to deliver smoking cessation services in alignment with Administrative Order (AO) 2021-0031 of the Department of Health (DOH). METHODS: This study followed a cross-sectional design. From August to September 2023, we administered an online questionnaire to health facilities nationwide (n=618) in the Philippines to assess the current status of smoking cessation services across all levels of care regarding physical capacity, technical capacity, and availability of resources. RESULTS: In this descriptive study of 618 surveyed facilities, only 346 (55.99%) provide smoking cessation services. Among these (n=346), 52.02% (n=180) have certified basic tobacco intervention (BTI) providers, 21.97% (n=75) have certified intensive counseling providers, 88.73% (n=307) screen for tobacco use, 39.60% (n=137) assess for nicotine dependence, 53.18% (n=184) provide intensive counseling, 14.45% (n=50) prescribe pharmacotherapy, 66.47% (n=230) do not have directories or established referral networks, 54.34% (n=188) are aware of the DOH Quitline, and 7.51% (n=26) are aware of mobile-based cessation (mCessation) programs. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the limited capacity of health facilities in the Philippines to deliver smoking cessation services. Our findings suggest several areas for strengthening, including developing cessation infrastructure, expanding designated cessation clinics, targeting awareness campaigns to promote existing services, and expanding access to comprehensive cessation services training programs. Further research can explore and evaluate the effectiveness of these measures to create a stronger basis for resource allocation and policy implementation.