title: Barriers to quitting smoking among medically ill smokers.
abstract: Few studies examine predictors of smoking cessation among medically ill smokers, despite their high smoking prevalence. We prospectively examined barriers to smoking cessation in medically ill smokers, with age as a hypothesized moderator. Participants were smokers (N = 237, M (age) = 56.1, 53.6% females) receiving home-based nursing care. Baseline self-report questionnaires assessed barriers to cessation (demographics, smoking history, psychosocial, and medical factors). Smoking status was biochemically verified at 2- and 6-months post-intervention. Compared with younger smokers, older smokers had significantly lower levels of nicotine dependence, stress, and depressed mood and a greater prevalence of smoking-related diseases. Older smokers were more likely to achieve biochemically verified abstinence at 6-month follow-up (7.8%) than younger smokers (3.1%) though this difference was not significant. Higher levels of depressed mood and lower levels of perceived stress were associated with a greater likelihood of cessation at both follow-up points, but only for younger smokers. For younger smokers, higher self-efficacy to quit and the presence of a smoking-related disease increased the odds of abstinence. These findings could help guide treatment development for this high-risk group of smokers.
authors.affiliation: VA Boston Healthcare System, Brockton, MA 02301, USA. Kristin.Gregor@va.gov
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gregor
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Borrelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*