Determinants of physical activity promotion by smoking cessation advisors as an aid for quitting: support for the Transtheoretical Model.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: Physical activity (PA) can reduce cigarette cravings and aid quitting but little is known about its promotion by smoking cessation advisors. This study aimed to: (1) determine the extent to which smoking cessation advisors promote PA; and (2) examine the relationship between PA promotion as a cessation aid and advisor characteristics and cognitions, within the Transtheoretical Model (TM) framework. METHODS: Self-report surveys assessing PA promotion, TM variables, advisors' own PA levels and demographics were completed by 170 advisors in England and Scotland. RESULTS: Advisors reported spending 29min promoting PA over a 6/7-week clinic. Those in later stages of readiness for promoting PA as a cessation aid and those spending more time promoting PA held more positive beliefs regarding pros and cons, self-efficacy, outcome efficacy and importance of PA within smoking cessation. Time spent promoting PA and stage of readiness were strongly associated. There was a trend for the more physically active advisors to promote PA more often. CONCLUSIONS: About half the advisors promoted PA and TM variables predicted this variability. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: PA promotion among smoking cessation advisors may be facilitated by enhancing self-efficacy, outcome efficacy and pro- and con-beliefs related to PA promotion.