Paper
Wednesday, July 21, 2004
Adolescent Smoking Cessation: Losing, Gaining and Maintaining Control
Mary I. Enzman Hagedorn, RN, PhD, HNC, CNS, CPNP, Beth El College of Nursing at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Beth El College of Nursing at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Beth El College of Nursing at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
This presentation presents a dialectic comparing and contrasting the outcomes of two studies investigating adolescent smoking cessation. Smoking among adolescents is a major health concern. While adult smoking rates have leveled off at approximately 23 to 24 percent, smoking rates among young people ages 18 to 25 years continues to increase. Over the last 10 years, the number of young people in the U.S. under 18 years of age who became new daily smokers increased by 70 percent. Tobacco use is also correlated with other high-risk behavior during adolescence, notably drug use, excessive use of alcohol, early sexual activity, violence and unintentional injuries. The first study used a pre and post test, descriptive, correlational design to compared the attitudes of adolescents attending a high school based smoking cessation program. Results identified that students attitudes changed significantly regarding pre and post coping and knowledge scores after participation. A second study explored the social processes of smoking cessation in adolescents with the goal of developing a substantive theory. The research question was, "How do adolescents who have quit smoking describe the process of smoking cessation?" A purposive sample of this study of 15 adolescents provided data for the study. A theory that adolescents struggle to overcome smoking addiction was described as losing, gaining and maintaining control. Each adolescent described phases within this process and through constant comparative analysis, seven categories were identified. Through analysis, saturation of these categories occurred. Programs are needed that support adolescents in their smoking cessation process. Implications for evidenced based and holistic praxis research in nursing will be discussed.
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Sigma Theta Tau International
July 21, 2004