Background: Information about the factors that determine motivation to quit in immigrant populations is needed to enable the development of tailored smoking cessation programs for them. Dutch studies in the general population suggest that attitudes are important for motivating persons to change and self-efficacy for helping motivated persons to change. We analyzed whether this pattern also exists among Surinamese immigrants. Methods: Structured face-to-face interviews were held among 1100 Surinamese people in Amsterdam (The Netherlands), including measures of attitudes towards smoking (cessation), social influences and self-efficacy expectations (between 2001 and 2003). Results: The majority of the smokers were not motivated to quit and in the pre-contemplation phase (73%). Pre-contemplators perceived significantly weaker advantages of quitting than contemplators and preparators. Self-efficacy expectations of Surinamese pre-contemplators were lower than those of smokers preparing to quit within a month. Conclusion: Similar attitudinal and self-efficacy patterns as those in the general population were found in an immigrant population. However, the items constituting the factors are culturally sensitive. Furthermore, many Surinamese smokers were unmotivated to quit smoking. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoking cessation immigrants Stages of change Surinamese

Netherlands immigrant motivation human Health Behavior priority journal Self Efficacy smoking cessation Humans smoking Suriname Interviews as Topic male female questionnaire Article Questionnaires Social Environment Interviews Emigration and Immigration attitude to health