Thyrian Jochen René, Panagiotakos Demosthenes B, Polychronopoulos Evangelos, West Robert, Zatonski Witold, John Ulrich
Institute of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University of Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str, 48, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
BMC Public Health. 2008 Jan 3;8:2. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-8-2.
Smoking prevalence differs significantly across Europe. In addition, there are considerable differences in tobacco control activities across European countries. The relationship between prevalence and policy is under-researched. The present analysis examines the motivation to change smoking behaviour across 5 different European countries that differ considerably in their tobacco control activities.
A population-based, representative survey of 1750 smokers, aged 16-59, from 5 different European countries (Germany, Greece, Poland, Sweden, UK) was used. Demographic variables, smoking status and the motivation to stop smoking were assessed. Motivation was assessed as, first, intending to quit (using the stages of change plus a modified stage for Precontemplation), and second, the desire to quit.
The majority of smokers want to stop smoking (73.5%), while only 35.0% want to stop definitely. Across countries, 10.2% definitely do not want to stop. Most of the smokers can be categorised in the Precontemplation stage (between 62.6% and 77.7% depending on the country), one of the stages of change categories. The relationship between the stages of change and the country under examination is statistically significant (chi-square = 43.466, p < 0.001). In countries with a high level of tobacco control, the proportion of people in Precontemplation is lower than in countries with low tobacco control activity.
There are differences in the stages of change between the countries under examination. However, the categorisation of the countries into low, medium and high tobacco control activity used in this analysis does not explain these differences. Most smokers want to stop smoking, but a high proportion cannot indicate a time-frame when this is going to happen. Tobacco control efforts or other kinds of support might encourage these smokers to actually try to stop. Longitudinal studies at the population level are needed to assess, relate or monitor tobacco control activities and the intention to stop.
吸烟率在欧洲各国存在显著差异。此外，欧洲各国在烟草控制活动方面也存在相当大的差异。吸烟率与政策之间的关系研究不足。本分析考察了5个不同欧洲国家吸烟行为改变的动机，这些国家在烟草控制活动方面差异很大。
对来自5个不同欧洲国家（德国、希腊、波兰、瑞典、英国）的1750名年龄在16 - 59岁的吸烟者进行了一项基于人群的代表性调查。评估了人口统计学变量、吸烟状况和戒烟动机。动机首先被评估为打算戒烟（使用行为改变阶段加上一个针对前意向阶段的修改阶段），其次是戒烟的愿望。
大多数吸烟者想要戒烟（73.5%），而只有35.0%的人想要彻底戒烟。在各个国家中，10.2%的人绝对不想戒烟。大多数吸烟者可被归类为前意向阶段（根据国家不同，比例在62.6%至77.7%之间），这是行为改变阶段类别之一。行为改变阶段与所考察国家之间的关系具有统计学意义（卡方 = 43.466，p < 0.001）。在烟草控制水平较高的国家，处于前意向阶段的人群比例低于烟草控制活动较少的国家。
在所考察的国家之间，行为改变阶段存在差异。然而，本分析中用于将国家分为低、中、高烟草控制活动的分类并不能解释这些差异。大多数吸烟者想要戒烟，但很大一部分人无法表明戒烟的时间框架。烟草控制措施或其他形式的支持可能会鼓励这些吸烟者真正尝试戒烟。需要在人群层面进行纵向研究，以评估、关联或监测烟草控制活动与戒烟意图。
