Targeting smokers with low readiness to change with tailored and nontailored self-help materials.
BACKGROUND
Few smoking cessation self-help materials are available for smokers who are not planning to quit. However, computer-tailored interventions can be designed specifically for these smokers.


METHODS
In a large randomized field trial (N = 843), two different tailored smoking cessation self-help interventions (multiple tailoring and single tailoring) and one standardized smoking cessation self-help guide were compared with a no-information control group and with each other. The contents of the tailored interventions were adapted to individuals' self-reported stage of change, outcome expectations, self-efficacy levels, and smoking behavior.


RESULTS
The primary outcome measure was forward stage transition. The standardized self-help guide had no effect. Among smokers who were not planning to quit within the next 5 years the multiple-tailored intervention was more effective than the single-tailored intervention. This pattern was supported by the cognitive changes caused by the interventions. Among smokers who were planning to quit within the next 5 years but not within the next 6 months, none of the self-help materials had any effect.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results show that the self-help material currently available in the Netherlands, the standardized self-help guide, was not effective among smokers with low readiness to change. However, computer-generated tailored interventions seem a promising means of communicating information on smoking and smoking cessation to these smokers.
Department of Health Education, Maastricht University, The Netherlands.
A
A
Dijkstra
H
H
De Vries
J
J
Roijackers
D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007206:Individuality; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008370:Manuals as Topic / Q000592:standards; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012648:Self Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome