Exploring smoking cessation behaviors of outpatients in outpatient clinics: Application of the transtheoretical model

To examine the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of smokers towards smoking prevention and provide high-quality smoking cessation services and education on tobacco prevention and establish a smoke-free care network. This study is a cross-sectional survey. The research tool is a questionnaire composed of 4 sub-scales, namely, “tobacco harm awareness,” “tobacco prevention attitude,” “quitting smoking self-efficacy scale,” and “intentional behavior to quit smoking.” A positive correlation was identified between cessation-specific knowledge, attitude to quit smoking, and intentional behavior to quit smoking among outpatients. Following the regression analysis, 2 factors (cessation-specific knowledge and attitude toward quitting the smoking habit) were considered in the model and its total variance explained reached 53.2%. Regular smoking cessation classes should be conducted to increase the awareness of smoking hazards and improve the positive attitude toward smoking cessation to avoid smoking hazards.