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The effect of the REDUQ intervention on smoking reduction ; and baseline predictors for smoking reduction in a population of COPD patients

Petersenn, F.M. von (2014) The effect of the REDUQ intervention on smoking reduction ; and baseline predictors for smoking reduction in a population of COPD patients.

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Abstract:Aim: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a treatable disease characterized by airflow limitation. It is a serious disease as it is one of the main causes for mortality, morbidity and health-care costs worldwide. Smoking is directly related to COPD, as it is a high risk factor for COPD. Because COPD is a progressive disease patients with COPD are in urgent need for a treatment which helps them to reduce harm (Mannino & Buist, 2007). The REDUQ study provides an intervention for smoking reduction and smoking cessation. Before quitting the participants reduce smoking gradually. This study measures whether the intervention of the REDUQ study increased reduction among the patients or not. Furthermore, it is important to find predictors for reduction among patients in order to choose a suitable intervention. Therefore in this study research is done over predictors for reduction behaviour. Method: The data of the REDUQ study was used. The REDUQ study consists of two groups, one intervention group which receives an intensive treatment, and a self-help intervention group. In order to validate the smoking behaviour, CO measurements were taken at baseline and at a follow-up of 6 months. Several analyses were performed to measure the treatment effect of the intervention. Therefore analyses with dichotomous and continuous values for reduction were performed. Questionnaires were used to find possible predictors of reduction. Those were assessed by applying several analyses. Results: It was found that the intervention had no significant effect on reduction behaviour after 6 months. No strong significant predictors of successful reduction were found. A trend was found for a predictive effect on reduction for the following variables: Negative attitude towards reduction, anger, concentration, perceived social support and descriptive norm of the partner. Nicotine dependence was the only variable which had a significant relation to reduction, but this was only found in one analysis and the relation was also weak. Discussion: No effect of the intervention was found. It can be suggested that this is due to the study population, as patients with COPD share characteristics that hinder smoking reduction. Therefore more research is needed with a study population of COPD patients. Furthermore, no strong predictor for smoking reduction was found. Further research should focus on predictors of smoking reduction. In addition it is recommended to apply a time variated measurement instead of a baseline measurement to find predictors, because research indicates that predictors vary over time.
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/65765
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