title: Age and readiness to quit smoking.
abstract: The relationship between planning to quit smoking within the next 3 months and demographic characteristics, smoking history, attitudes and beliefs about smoking cessation, and motivation was analyzed among smokers in three age groups: 18 to 29, 30 to 49, and 50 years or older. Using random-digit dialing, telephone interviews were completed with 2,353 smokers before initiating a self-help, minimal-contact intervention in the Chicago metropolitan area. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify factors that predicted planning to quit within the next 3 months. The two youngest age groups were most likely to have attitudes favorable to being ready to try to quit smoking (they were more concerned about health effects of smoking, perceived a greater reduction in the likelihood of getting lung cancer, were more determined to quit, and were more confident in their ability to quit). Among all three age groups, one-fourth or less planned to quit within the next 3 months, and desire to quit was the strongest predictor in each group. Among smokers who planned to quit someday, the oldest were most likely to plan to quit within the next 3 months. The findings show that there are important age-related differences in readiness to quit smoking that should be considered when planning and evaluating smoking cessation interventions.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago 60680.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kviz
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Crittenden
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freels
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Warnecke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D010934:Planning Techniques; D012307:Risk Factors; D012718:Set, Psychology; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*