J Korean Acad Nurs.  2004 Dec;34(8):1443-1450.

Predictors of Tobacco-Control Activities of Community Health Practitioners: Report from a National Survey

• Kim JS
• Song MS
• Oh HE

Abstract

The involvement of health-care professionals in tobacco-control activities is essential to prevent smoking-related morbidity and mortality. The purposes of this predictive correlational study were to examine tobacco-control activities and to identify the predictors of such activities of community health practitioners (CHPs). Of the 1,813 members of the Korean Association of CHP, 1,247 participated in this study. A mailed survey was conducted to collect data. The majority of CHPs supported tobacco-control policies and recognized tobacco-control activities as an important role for them. Only 44.3% of CHPs were confident in their knowledge and skills regarding tobacco-control activities, and only 30.8% had received professional tobacco-control education. While the majority of the CHPs "asked, advised, and assessed"their clients, only a small number "assisted or arranged". The tobacco-control activities of CHPs were predicted by their attitude toward it, age, experience of tobacco-control education, educational level, and general perception of the risk of smoking; these variables accounted 13.5% of variance in the tobacco-control activities of CHPs. These findings provide the basis for developing a continuing education program for CHPs. CHPs should be encouraged to integrate tobacco-control activities into their routine practice, and CHP education programs should be adjusted to increase the time spent on the tobacco-control intervention techniques.

Keyword

Tobacco-control activities; Community Health Practitioner; Attitude

MeSH Terms

Adult
Aged
Analysis of Variance
*Attitude of Health Personnel
Clinical Competence/standards
Community Health Nursing/education/*organization & administration
Cross-Sectional Studies
Education, Nursing, Continuing/standards
Educational Status
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Korea
Middle Aged
Needs Assessment
*Nurse's Role
Nursing Methodology Research
Nursing Staff/education/organization & administration/*psychology
Predictive Value of Tests
Questionnaires
Regression Analysis
Risk Factors
Self Efficacy
Smoking/*prevention & control
Smoking Cessation