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Clinical Trial
. 2015 Aug 13;12(8):9536-41.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph120809536.

Readiness Visual Analog Scale: A Simple Way to Predict Post-Stroke Smoking Behavior

Przemyslaw Bienkowski  1 , Pawel Zatorski  2 , Agata Glebicka  3 , Anna Scinska  4 , Iwona Kurkowska-Jastrzebska  5 , Magdalena Restel  6 , Jerzy Samochowiec  7 , Danuta Ryglewicz  8 , Halina Sienkiewicz-Jarosz  9
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Readiness Visual Analog Scale: A Simple Way to Predict Post-Stroke Smoking Behavior

Przemyslaw Bienkowski et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background and purpose: The aim of the present study was to assess a relationship between readiness to quit and post-stroke smoking behavior.

Methods: Eighty-six active smokers with first-ever ischemic stroke were recruited in a tertiary-care stroke unit. The question "Are you ready to quit smoking within the next month?" with yes/no responses and the 10-cm readiness visual analog scale (VAS) was administered during the anti-smoking intervention. Smoking status was verified at the 3- and 12-month follow-up.

Results: The readiness VAS score at hospitalization was significantly lower in patients classified as smokers as compared to patients classified as non-smokers. The readiness score <5 cm was a significant predictor of smoking at the 3-month (OR, 7.3) and 12-month follow-up (OR, 4.9).

Conclusions: The present results suggest that the readiness VAS can be used as a simple and inexpensive instrument for early identification of patients who continue to smoke after stroke.

Keywords: cigarette smoking; ischemic stroke; readiness to quit; secondary prevention; visual analog scale.

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