Staging of adult smokers according to the transtheoretical model of behavioural change: analysis of an eastern Ontario cohort.

OBJECTIVES: 1) To describe the distribution of adult smokers in an existing cohort according to stages of change theory; and 2) to compare movements of these smokers through the stages of change. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of existing cohort data. SETTING: Eastern Ontario. PARTICIPANTS: Adult smokers who: 1) enrolled in a Quit & Win Challenge, or 2) received smoking cessation information (Quit Kit) from their area health unit, or 3) were randomly selected by telephone survey. RESULTS: 706 smokers were recruited and followed for one year. Only 2% of the adult smokers selected by random telephone survey were in the "action" stage at baseline, compared with 14% of the Quit and Win Challenge participants, and 14% of the Quit Kit recipients. Variations in movement through the stages of change were observed between groups upon follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest a need to use stage-matched approaches when developing population-based smoking cessation interventions.