SMOKING BEHAVIOR, HEALTH BELIEFS, AND LOCUS-OF-CONTROL OF PATIENTS WHO HAVE HAD OPEN HEART SURGERY.
Contributors: University of Miami.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 161
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of patient's health belief and locus of control in their compliance to smoking cessation. The health belief model and multidimensional health locus of control were the two conceptual models that were identified and used in this research. Compliance to smoking cessation, as proposed by these models, will be greater among individuals who: (1) perceive more threat from a heart attack; (2) least attracted to smoking; and (3) believe that they are in control of their health, and that their condition is not due to chance or from "powerful others".

Sixty-two subjects, who had coronary bypass and graft surgery for the first time were included in this study. Measures of the health belief and locus of control were administered after they were transferred from a critical care unit. A month after hospital discharge, a second questionnaire was sent to each subject to determine compliance to smoking cessation. Patients who were compliant were called the abstainers, while those who were not compliant were called the relapsers.

The data generated were analyzed utilizing multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA). A significant finding was followed up by stepwise discriminant analysis. In the measure of locus of control, patients who believe that they are in control of their health were found to be more compliant to smoking cessation than those who believe that their health is the result of chance or is controlled by others. In the measure of the health belief, abstainers were less attracted to smoking than the relapsers. These two groups were similar in their level of perception of susceptibility to heart attack, perception of the degree of seriousness of this condition, and in the combined measure of locus of control and health belief.

Based on the findings, the following may be concluded: Post open heart patients are significantly more compliant to smoking cessation when they are (1) more internal and less oriented to chance; (2) less attracted to smoking; and (3) decided to quit smoking prior to hospital discharge. These conclusions are limited by (a) small sample size, (b) sample selection by convenience, and (c) reliance on self-report on the smoking status a month after surgery.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-02, Section: B, page: 0662.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, 1989.

School code: 0125.