SMOKING BEHAVIOR AMONG ALABAMA STUDENT NURSES: THE ROLE OF BEHAVIORAL BELIEFS AND NORMATIVE REFERENCING (REASONED ACTION, PREDICTING).
Contributors: Loma Linda University.
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 167
Subjects: Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of smoking behavior for the senior student nurses in the state of Alabama using Ajzen and Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action. Smoking prevalence by level of educational preparation and selected health behaviors were examined for relationship to cigarette use.

A sample of 11 schools of nursing were selected from Alabama's 34, using a random numbers table. There were 13 total programs as two of the schools had both A.D. and B.S. nursing programs. Thirty-two percent (N = 555) of senior A.D., B.S. & diploma student nurses in Alabama responded to an 87 item questionnaire personally administered by the investigator in a classroom setting.

The hypothesis was supported that behavioral, normative and moral beliefs significantly differentiate smoking and nonsmoking student nurses. Beliefs that significantly differentiated at p < .00005 were: that smoking cigarettes would help me relax, to study better, be harmful to my lungs, would mean that I am a poor role model to patients, would interfere with my ability to participate in sports, would hurt my image as a nurse and would ease the stress related to nursing practice. Varimax rotation produced factor loadings which identified three factors found to be significantly correlated to attitude. These were labeled anxiety, exemplar role and concerns about personal health.

Health behaviors predicting smoking behavior were breakfast frequency and coffee consumption. Having a regular exercise routine was not significant. Males smoked significantly more than females. More older nurses (over 40) smoke than younger.

Though there was no significant difference of smoking prevalence among educational levels there was a trend for increased smoking from B.S. to diploma level with prevalence for the total sample 26.2%, diploma level 30%, A.D. 26% and B.S. 24%.

These findings are interpreted in terms of developing educational strategies addressing specific beliefs and behaviors found here to be predictive of cigarette use. This information should alert nurse educators to the need for developing curriculum elements that promote health behavior of student nurses.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-01, Section: B, page: 0157.

Thesis (D.P.H.)--LOMA LINDA UNIVERSITY, 1985.

School code: 0106.