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Health literacy and self-efficacy in the adult tobacco cigarette smoker and reformed smoker with vascular disease
Dissertation   Open access

Health literacy and self-efficacy in the adult tobacco cigarette smoker and reformed smoker with vascular disease

Scott R. Oldfield
Doctor of Nursing Practice (D.N.P.), Drexel University
May 2015
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6313
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Abstract

Nursing
INTRODUCTION: Smoking is the leading preventable cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States with cardiovascular disease accounting for one third of smoking related deaths in adults 35 years and older. Identifying factors attributing to successful cessation can positively influence smoking cessation policy and direct future tobacco cessation treatment plans. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in health literacy and self-efficacy between adult tobacco cigarette smokers and reformed smokers with vascular disease. METHODS: This study employed a cross-sectional, comparative descriptive design. A convenience sample of 200 participants evenly divided between tobacco cigarette smokers and reformed smokers was recruited from the Geisinger Medical Center Vascular Surgery Clinic in Danville, PA. Participants filled out the Short Version of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) and the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE) to determine their level of generalized self-efficacy and health literacy. RESULTS: The mean age of the two hundred study participants was 68.17 with the majority being male (72.5%). One hundred percent of the participants described themselves as Caucasian and were either married (61.5%) or living with someone (71%). The majority of the study participants obtained a minimum of a high school diploma or (76.5%) and reported an annual income less than fifty thousand dollars (84.5%). No significant differences were found between the two groups for health literacy (p = 0.215) or self-efficacy (p = 0.154). CONCLUSION: No significant differences in health literacy and self-efficacy were identified in adult tobacco cigarette smokers and reformed smokers with vascular disease. Several demographic factors were found to have a significant difference in the two study groups to include age, gender, marital status, and living arrangements. In addition, there was a statistically significant increase in the use of alcohol, caffeine and/or medication for anxiety and/or pain within the last year in the adult tobacco cigarette smokers compared to the reformed smokers. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge regarding variables that have a relationship to smoking cessation. In doing so, better interventions and policies regarding smoking cessation can be formulated in the future improving health and lower health care costs.

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