Correlates of Continued Tobacco Use and Intention to Quit Smoking Among Russian Cancer Patients

Abstract

Tobacco use among cancer patients is associated with adverse health outcomes. Little attention has been paid to tobacco use among cancer patients in developing countries, including Russia, where tobacco use is extremely high, and there is little public health infrastructure to address this issue. This study examined medical, socio-demographic, and psychological correlates of smoking status and intention to quit smoking among newly diagnosed Russian cancer patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 294 current or former smokers newly diagnosed with cancer. Compared with patients who quit smoking, patients who continued to smoke were more likely to report urges to smoke to satisfy positive reinforcing aspects of tobacco use. Compared with patients who were smoking and reported no intention to quit smoking in the next 3 months, patients who were smoking but intended to quit smoking reported higher levels of perceived risks associated with continued smoking and higher levels of self-efficacy to quit smoking. As commitment to developing smoking cessation treatment programs for cancer patients in Russia emerges, these data can help guide the development of behavioral interventions to assist patients with quitting smoking, enhancing their chances for improved clinical outcomes.