Purpose: Smoking cessation programs are frequently attended by hardcore smokers who fail to quit smoking. Nurses must understand smokers and target interventions that will aid long-term abstinence. This study was designed to identify predictors of long-term smoking abstinence, recidivism, and recalcitrance following participation in a cessation program. Conceptual Framework: Smokers achieving long-term abstinence following cessation were predicted to have lower initial smoking rates, fewer years of lifetime smoking, anti-smoking attitudes, and greater numbers of healthy behaviors when compared to recidivists and recalcitrant smokers. Subjects: Adult smokers, aged 18 to 60 years old, completed a cessation program and were followed for two years (N=71). Methods: A descriptive design required the use of discriminant function analysis (DFA) to predict membership in three groups of smokers: successful abstainers, who quit and remained smoke-free after two years (n=14), recidivists, who relapsed during follow-up (n=29), and the recalcitrant or hardcore smokers who made no attempts to quit smoking during the entire cessation and follow-up period (n=28). Results: The DFA produced two discriminant functions: (1) "successful abstinence" accounted for 70% of group variance with predictors including lower smoking rates, fewer years of smoking, attitudes less favorable toward smoking, and healthy behaviors of good nutrition, exercise, and stress management; (2) "failure to quit" accounted for 30% of the variance with predictors including more pro-smoking attitudes, less spiritual growth, and fewer healthy behaviors overall. Conclusions: Nurses who conduct smoking cessation interventions should assess and identify those smokers who may be at risk for failure due to higher smoking rates and more numerous years of smoking. Cessation interventions should include creative content and activities that promote anti-smoking attitudes, actively encourage improved exercise and diet, as well as stress management techniques to aid long-term abstinence.
Session #1189 - Addiction: Alcohol & Tobacco Use
The 29th Annual MNRS Research Conference (April 1-4, 2005)