A 2-YEAR SELF-HELP SMOKING CESSATION MANUAL INTERVENTION AMONG MIDDLE-AGED FINNISH MEN - AN APPLICATION OF THE TRANSTHEORETICAL MODEL

Background. A 2-year self-help manual smoking cessation intervention w as conducted among a panel of middle-aged Finnish men (n = 265) who we re recruited proactively in a longitudinal cardiovascular risk factor surveillance study. Methods. Intervention utilized the stages of chang e concept of the transtheoretical model. The stages were assessed in t he treatment condition at baseline of the cessation study and after th at by mail every sixth month. Assessments were followed by an immediat e mailing of a stage-based self-help manual matching the stage of chan ge at that time. A usual care group was assessed annually but received no treatment. Results. A significant time x intervention effect (P < 0.05) and time x baseline stage effect (P < 0.001) on quit rates were observed in the panel data over the 2-year period. An analysis of chan ges in the stages of change also revealed an accelerated cessation pro cess in the treatment condition. Conclusions. We conclude that mailed stage-matched self-help smoking cessation manuals were able to acceler ate the smoking cessation process but manuals alone may not constitute a sufficient long-term intervention. The effects of differential expo sure to intervention, subject characteristics, measurement reactivity, and secular trends are discussed as potential confounds. (C) 1994 Aca demic Press, Inc.