Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #96681

Manoj Sharma, PhD, Department of Health Promotion & Education, University of Cincinnati & Walden University, 526 Teachers College, P.O. Box 210002, Cincinnati, OH 45221-0002, 513-556-3878, manoj.sharma@uc.edu

Several pharmacological and behavioral therapies have been tested with varying rates of success for smoking cessation. Behavioral interventions offer an advantage that these interventions lack adverse and side effects. If innovative yoga-based approaches are added to behavioral interventions the efficacy of such interventions can be enhanced. The study describes the development of an innovative yoga-based intervention for smoking cessation. The intervention is based on social cognitive theory and consists of six 75 minutes sessions meeting once every week with the instructions for the participants to practice the techniques taught at home. The constructs of outcome expectations for yoga, outcome expectancies for yoga, self-efficacy for yoga, self control for yoga, self-efficacy for quitting smoking and self control for quitting smoking have been reified in the intervention. The participants are taught a set of low physical impact postures (asanas), breathing techniques (pranayama), relaxation (shava asana), and meditation (dhyana) in small steps (to ensure mastery) utilizing modeling. The instructor also provides continued verbal persuasion by checking that the participants are performing the steps correctly, and maintaining a stress free environment. These steps help in building self-efficacy for yoga as described in the social cognitive theory. Anecdotal successful experience sharing, emphasis on participant's ability to quit, and reduced stress as a result of relaxation are used to build self-efficacy for quitting. Setting goals and substituting yoga techniques for smoking are used to build self control for quitting. The intervention holds promise for efficacy and effectiveness testing.

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