Assessment of motivation of patients with peripheral arterial disease to stop smoking based on Nina Schneider’s test

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic and disseminated disease caused by many mechanisms. It has been shown that subjective factors including tobacco smoking, known as a major risk factor, have a significant influence on initiation and progression of disease. It is justified to implement educational and motivational activities because smoking cessation can stop the progression of atherosclerosis and in patients with lower limb ischaemia can influence claudication.
Aim of the study: The aim of the study was to assess the motivation of patients with chronic lower limb ischaemia for smoking cessation.
Material and methods: The study was conducted in 2005 and 2006 among 128 patients including 64 treated due to I/II degree lower limb ischaemia (Fontaine classification). Mean age was 61.8 years. Sixty-four other patients were surgically treated due to III/IV degree lower limb ischaemia. Mean age of patients from this group was 60.8 years. Self-constructed questionnaire and Nina Schneider motivation test were the study tools. Results were analyzed on the basis of statistical methods, p<0.05.
Results: It was shown that patients in a serious stage of disease are characterized by lower motivation for smoking cessation (p<0.002) than patients in the initial phase of disease. Strong motivation was shown by 59.4% of patients with I and II degree of ischaemia and 32.8% of patients with III and IV degree of disease (p<0.001).
Conclusions: The level of health knowledge of patients about smoking cessation significantly increased motivation. The level of motivation was more dependent on factors such as professional environment or coping with crisis situations than on clinical stage of disease.