Motivation to quit smoking among relatives of lung cancer patients

The purpose is to determine factors related to motivation to quit in a sample of smoking family members of lung cancer patients. Relatives of 30 patients were recruited from a multidisciplinary lung cancer clinic; family members were all either cigarette (97%) or spit (3%) users. Participants (N = 30) were primarily female and Caucasian. Half were married, employed, and had some post-secondary education. Most cigarette smokers (72%) indicated their relative's lung cancer had increased their motivation to quit smoking, and 74% of cigarette users planned to quit within the next month. More than two-thirds of the participants (69%) were somewhat to very interested in joining a Quit and Win cessation contest in the future.About one-fourth (28%) were in the Precontemplation Stage of Change, while 65% were in Contemplation and 7% in Preparation. On a scale of 1-10, their average perceived risk of developing lung cancer in their lifetime was 6.1. Two-thirds of participants were glad or very glad someone had talked with them about quitting and 76% thought it was somewhat or very appropriate to talk with family members of lung cancer patients about quitting. While unrelated to demographic characteristics, degree of motivation to quit using cigarettes was positively correlated with both Stage of Change (rho=.52, p=.009) and perceived risk of lung cancer (rho=.45, p=.04). Public health nurses and other medical professionals who interact with families of lung cancer patients may be able to promote cessation in an at-risk group who is motivated to quit using tobacco.