Lung cancer and cigarette use: Cognitive factors, protection motivation and past behaviour

Abstract

Objective. To assess relationships between health cognitions and protection motivation regarding cigarette use and lung cancer. Design. Cross‐sectional questionnaire survey. Variables were intentions (i.e., motivation) perceptions of susceptibility to and severity of lung cancer, the benefits or effectiveness of not smoking in reducing the risk of lung cancer, barriers to not smoking, past smoking behaviour, and demographic factors (age, gender). Method. Two‐hundred and seventy‐five men and women (aged 18‐66 years) were administered and returned the questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyse the data. Results. Past cigarette use predicted stronger intention to smoke, accounting for 70% of the variance. Perceptions of susceptibility and barriers increased the variance explained, but only marginally. Greater perceived likelihood of contracting lung cancer and stronger perceived barriers to not smoking predicted higher motivation to smoke. Conclusions. Results provide limited support for the role of health cognitions in intended cigarette use, and justify the incorporation of past risk behaviour in social cognition models applied to cigarette use.