title: Quit smoking behaviours and intentions and hard-core smoking in New South Wales.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Quitting intentions and behaviours of smokers require monitoring. In particular, assessment of the distribution of smokers on the quitting continuum and of the proportion of hard-core smokers has implications for the design of future quit campaigns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional survey of 1,509 persons (74.4% consent rate) randomly selected from the New South Wales Electronic White Pages. 1,431 respondents were eligible (aged 18 and over).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Current smokers comprised 19.1% (n=274) and former smokers 28.0% (n=400). Sixty-one per cent of current smokers had quit for at least one day in the last year and 67.1% were in the intermediate or advanced preparation levels of the quitting continuum. Half of the smokers (46.7%) recalled receiving cessation advice during a past-year medical visit. Sixty-four point five per cent (64.5%) of smokers and 63.4% of former smokers reported no use of assistance in their quit attempts. Five point five per cent (5.5%) of smokers aged 26 and over met the hard-core criteria.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most smokers want to quit but when making a quit attempt do not use proven, effective strategies. Relapse rates are high in the immediate post-cessation period.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Health Research & Psycho-oncology (CHeRP) The Cancer Council New South Wales/University of Newcastle. Raoul.Walsh@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Raoul A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: Christine L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tzelepis
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stojanovski
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D033182:Intention; D008297:Male; D009517:New South Wales; D012737:Sex Factors; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000523:psychology*