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Gezond roken? : een experiment bij studenten over de haalbaarheid van gereduceerd roken met behulp van reductiestrategieën

Teiwes, Franka (2007) Gezond roken? : een experiment bij studenten over de haalbaarheid van gereduceerd roken met behulp van reductiestrategieën.

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Abstract:Background Tobacco smoking is the largest preventable risk factor for morbidity and mortality in industrialized countries. Due to the fact that a great number of people have difficulties to stop completely, reduced smoking could be a good alternative. The term used in this context is harm reduction. On the assumption that the harm to health can be restricted by the reduction of cigarette consumption, complete abstinence is not the only acceptable result. The effects of harm reduction are still unclear. Aim This study examines the feasibility of harm reduction. It examines if it is possible to reduce the cigarette consumption within three weeks and tries to find out which strategies help to reduce smoking. Further, this study examines which aspects explain the reduction and if the intention to stop can be enhanced by reduction. Methods Explorative-experimental research is done by students who smoke. Within three weeks seventeen participants try to reduce their cigarette consumption by fifty percent. As aid they are given several reduction strategies. Data about background information, daily cigarette consumption, use of strategies and situational factors is received by an intake questionnaire, by CO-measures and a semi-structured exit-interview. For the analysis of the results both qualitative and quantitative analysis is done. Results Five participants reduce 50% or more, six participants reduce between 20% and 39% and four participants have a reduction rate of less than 10%. The most effective strategies are ‘be conscious about your smoking behaviour’, ‘leave out cigarettes of your smoking habit’, ‘don’t smoke on the bike or in the car’ and ‘delay smoking’. Intention to stop smoking in the future, motivation to reduce smoking, high self-efficacy, low start level, positive feedback by the environment, having a rigid smoking habit and having tried to stop smoking earlier seem to influence the chance to reduce smoking positively. However, difficult life circumstances and a positive attitude about smoking seem to have negative influence on the possibility to reduce smoking. Conclusion and discussion It is possible to reduce the smoking consumption substantially within three weeks. Harm reduction seems to have a positive effect on the motivation. Both the CO-measures and the reduction strategies seem to have helped reducing cigarettes. Further research should be done to analyse the effects on health by reduced smoking, as well as for the long-term feasibility of harm reduction and the effects of harm reduction on the intention to stop smoking. Also, further research should be done to generalize the results.
Item Type:Essay (Bachelor)
Faculty:BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:77 psychology
Programme:Psychology BSc (56604)
Link to this item:https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/59625
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