Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair

Leslie Robinson

Committee Member

Melissa A Little

Committee Member

James A Murphey

Committee Member

Kenneth D Ward

Abstract

The prevalence of cigarette smoking has not declined among older adults. Further, this age group is more impacted by the negative health effects of smoking. Cessation trials rarely report quitting outcomes exclusively among older adults and fewer explore individual characteristics which impact cessation within this population. This study aimed to identify individual characteristics predicting an older adult smoker’s likelihood of successful quitting after engaging in a proactive tobacco quit line intervention. Older adult (>60 years) TRICARE beneficiaries enrolled in a four-session proactive tobacco quit line with eight-weeks of nicotine replacement therapy reported demographics and information about cigarette use history, previous quit attempts, ever use of cessation resources, current use of other tobacco products, beliefs about cessation, confidence to quit, and reasons for quitting at baseline. Cessation (i.e., seven-day abstinence) was reported at 3 and 12-month follow-ups. In final logistic regression models, each unit increase in endorsement of quitting to take control of one’s life and one-unit increase in confidence in quitting some day were associated with a 74% and 75% increased likelihood of quitting at 3 months, respectively (OR=1.74, 95% CI=1.16, 2.62; OR=1.75, 95% CI=1.21, 2.52). At 12 months, a one-unit increase in endorsement of quitting to take control of one’s life and each decreased score in nicotine dependence were associated with a 51% and 19% increased likelihood of being quit, respectively (OR=1.51, 95% CI=1.05,2.17; OR=0.84, 95% CI=0.71,0.99). Older adult cessation programs might provide additional support to those with higher nicotine dependence, promote quitting self-efficacy, and encourage quitting as means to gain control of life and health.

Comments

Data is provided by the student

Library Comment

Dissertation or thesis originally submitted to ProQuest.

Notes

Open Access

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