A qualitative exploration of patients’ views on a specialist smoking cessation service delivered in a United Kingdom hospital
Author(s)
Manpreet Bains, John Britton and Rachael L Murray
Presenter(s)
Dr Manpreet Bains Research Fellow, Division of Epidemiology & Public Health, University of Nottingham and UKCTCS
Abstract
Hospital admission provides an opportunity to implement smoking cessation interventions in large numbers of smokers. However, implementing interventions into routine clinical practice remains a challenge, and raises the question as to whether specialist services are warranted in hospital settings. Eighteen wards in a UK teaching hospital were allocated, in a cluster randomised design, to deliver systematic smoking cessation interventions to all admitted patients who smoked, or to deliver usual care. To explore patients’ views, 30 smokers who were approached and offered support to quit were interviewed.
The main themes to emerge highlighted that individuals viewed hospitals as an ideal setting to deliver cessation interventions because patients, who like themselves had experienced a health problem or event, were more likely to consider stopping. Participants favoured receiving support from cessation specialists because they have the appropriate expertise to advise and provide pharmacotherapy support over a period of time that surpasses the hospital setting. Had they not been offered support, most participants would have attempted to quit alone; whilst some would not have tried due to the cost of pharmacotherapy treatment.
Research is required to consider the timing of service delivery that also ensures co-ordination and communication between hospital staff and service personnel.
Source of funding: NIHR Programme Grant for Applied Research funding scheme.
