PURPOSE
The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in smoking related characteristics and psychological features of coronary artery patients by the stages of change in smoking cessation behaviors. METHOD: Subjects for this survey were 97 patients who were smoking when doctors diagnosed them to have coronary artery diseases. RESULT: Subjects were distributed 21.6% in precontemplation stage, 24.7% in contemplation stage, 17.5% in preparation stage, 19.6% in action stage, and 16.5% in maintenance stage respectively. The numbers of previous attempts to quit smoking of subjects in precontemplation stage(mean=3.00, SD=3.71) and contemplation stage(mean=2.63, SD=2.32) were significantly lower than that of subjects in preparation stage(mean=5.82, SD= 6.20). Benefit scores of subjects in maintenance stage were significantly greater than those of subjects in precontemplation stage. Self-efficacy, barriers, seriousness, and nicotine dependency were not significantly different by the stages of change. Number of signs and symptoms related to smoking which subjects were experiencing were not significant by the stages of change too. CONCLUSION: Future intervention programs for smoking cessation should be focused on the strategies to enhance the realization of health benefits that patients might acquire from smoking cessation.
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