Motivational characteristics of smokers at the workplace: a public health challenge.
BACKGROUND
Few studies have focused on the motivational characteristics of smokers who do not volunteer for cessation. This study examined the relationship between demographic and selected psychosocial factors and motivation and intention to quit smoking among employed smokers at five worksites. In addition, the distributions of smokers who are at different stages of readiness to change their smoking behavior are presented.


RESULTS
Results indicate that, overall, less than 8% of employed smokers are currently ready to quit smoking and that blue-collar workers are lower in motivation than white-collar workers. Predictors of higher levels of motivation to quit smoking included higher socio-economic status, maleness, lower levels of self-reported nicotine dependence, and stronger perceptions that smoking was against the social norms of the workplace.


CONCLUSIONS
Implications for intervention, evaluation, and policy are discussed in the context of the challenge of making a public health impact on reducing overall smoking prevalence.
Abrams
D B
DB
Miriam Hospital/Brown University Medical School, Providence, Rhode Island.
Biener
L
L
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009511:New England; D009786:Occupational Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D012737:Sex Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012945:Social Values; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires