Effectiveness of health education and counseling on stages of change, decisional balance, and smoking cessation self-efficacy: A prospective self-control study.

Abstract

To examine the effectiveness of health education and counseling on the stages of change, decisional balance, and smoking cessations elf-efficacy in smokers with no intention of quitting. A prospective self-controlled design was conducted between December 2020 and December 2022. The research period was divided into a control stage (first to fourth weeks) and an experimental stage (fifth to eighth weeks). Patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and habitually smoked were recruited. Pearson correlation and a one-factor repeated-measurement analysis were performed to assess the effectiveness of the intervention. In total, 108 male CAD patients with a mean age of 58.1 years were recruited. After 4 weeks of the intervention, 55 (51%) exhibited behavior change (X ² = 18.03, p = .001). The decisional balance and smoking cessation self-efficacy scores significantly improved in the experimental stage. No significant differences were observed in the control stage. Four weeks of health education and counseling could effectively improve participants' stage of change, decisional balance, and smoking cessation self-efficacy. Healthcare professionals can play key roles in helping CAD patients successfully quit smoking through individual education and counseling.