Study of the Changes in Smoking Cessation Behavior in Promotion Project of Smoking Cessation in Thailand by a District Level Cooperative Network of People in the 6th Health Zone

Abstract

Smoking related illnesses are a major health problem. Therefore, there must be an urgent process to help people quit smoking, successfully. This survey research studied the classification of samples in the stages of change, the process of behavioral change, and the persons in each stage of change in the 6^th health zone. The participants were 1,870 people and chosen using simple random sampling. The Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient reliability was .78. Data were collected using demographic data, stages of change, and the process of behavioral change questionnaire and were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

The result revealed that the respondents can quit smoking more than 6 months 16%, and quit smoking for 6 months 12.7%. The processes of change were the lowest in the pre-contemplation stage. ( = 3.11, S.D. = 0.92), but there was a distinct increase the  contemplation stage ( = 3.47, S.D. = 0.56), but did not indicate distinct changes in the ready for action,  action, and  maintenance stages ( = 3.58, S.D.= 0.64, = 3.68, S.D.= 0.55, = 3.69, S.D.= 0.55). The process of changing behaviors in the contemplation, ready for action, action, and maintenance stages in those who quit smoking includes a high level of behavioral reinforcement management. In the pre-contemplation behavioral reinforcement management that is needed is only at a medium level.

            Therefore should create awareness programs for health care teams to employ encourage incentives (reinforce) to encourage smoking cessation behaviors, including continuously developing a post-smoking monitoring system by creating a community network in order to achieve sustainable smoking cessation.