PREDICTING FACTORS OF QUIT ATTEMPT AND SMOKING STATUS IN SCHIZOPHRENIC SMOKERS

Abstract

This study was a correlational study aiming to examine the direct and indirect relationships of the predicting factors of quit attempt and smoking status in smokers with schizophrenia. The conceptual framework was developed based on literature review. Multi stage random sampling was used to recruit the sample from the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health of Thailand. Six tertiary psychiatric hospitals were randomly selected from all regions of Thailand, and 376 smokers with schizophrenia aged 18-60 years, and smoking before admission, were recruited. Data were collected from April to September of 2015 by using self-administered questionnaires. All questionnaires demonstrated acceptable content and construct validity, and reliability. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and linear structural relationship (LISREL 8.80) was used to test the relationships among variables. The findings revealed that the hypothesized model fit the empirical data and could explain 45% (R2 = .45) of the variance of quit attempt and smoking status (Chi-square = 19.79, df = 30, p = 0.92,Chi-square/df = 0.66, CFI = 1.00, GIF = 0.99, RMSEA = 0.00, SRMR = 0.32, AGFI = 0.98). It was found that independent variables were significantly predicted quit attempt and smoking status at significance level .05. Readiness to quit had a significant positive direct effect (ß = .58) on quit attempt. Nicotine dependence had a significant negative direct effect (ß = -.24) on quit attempt, and had a significant positive direct effect (ß = .41) on smoking status. Intensity of smoking cessation intervention had a significant positive direct effect (ß = .08) on quit attempt, and had a significant positive indirect effect on quit attempt through readiness to quit (ß= .14). In addition, it was found that quit attempt had a significant negative direct effect on smoking status (ß = -.46). The results demonstrated that readiness to quit, nicotine dependence and intensity of smoking cessation intervention were the important factors influencing quit attempt. In addition, quit attempt and nicotine dependence were the important factors influencing smoking status. Therefore, identifying these variables can be used to develop effective smoking cessation programs to help smokers with schizophrenia quit smoking.