Predictors of tobacco-control activities of community health practitioners: report from a national survey.
The involvement of health-care professionals in tobacco-control activities is essential to prevent smoking-related morbidity and mortality. The purposes of this predictive correlational study were to examine tobacco-control activities and to identify the predictors of such activities of community health practitioners (CHPs). Of the 1,813 members of the Korean Association of CHP, 1,247 participated in this study. A mailed survey was conducted to collect data. The majority of CHPs supported tobacco-control policies and recognized tobacco-control activities as an important role for them. Only 44.3% of CHPs were confident in their knowledge and skills regarding tobacco-control activities, and only 30.8% had received professional tobacco-control education. While the majority of the CHPs "asked, advised, and assessed" their clients, only a small number "assisted or arranged". The tobacco-control activities of CHPs were predicted by their attitude toward it, age, experience of tobacco-control education, educational level, and general perception of the risk of smoking; these variables accounted 13.5% of variance in the tobacco-control activities of CHPs. These findings provide the basis for developing a continuing education program for CHPs. CHPs should be encouraged to integrate tobacco-control activities into their routine practice, and CHP education programs should be adjusted to increase the time spent on the tobacco-control intervention techniques.
Kim
Jin-Sun
JS
Department of Nursing, Chosun University, Gwangju 501-759, Korea. jinsun@chosun.ac.kr
Song
Mee-Suk
MS
Oh
Hyun-Ei
HE
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003152:Community Health Nursing / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004509:Education, Nursing, Continuing / Q000592:standards; D004522:Educational Status; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D020377:Self Efficacy; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires