Exploring the reasons for successful quit attempts by ex-smokers and certified smoking cessation service providers (CSCSP): a qualitative study / Dalila Nadira Zulkanain

Background: Smoking relapse among smokers who attempted to quit reduce the successful rate of quit attempts. Many studies have described the characteristics of defaulters and reasons on how they quit but reasons and experiences on ex-smokers who managed to stopped smoking not yet explored. Objectives: This study explored the reasons and factors that lead to the successful quit attempts by ex-smokers together with the pharmacists' opinion on smoking cessation programmes in community pharmacies. Methods: Participants were recruited from February to June 2013 through poster advertisements around UiTM Puncak Alam campus, advertisement through social network (Facebook) and some participants were individually approached. Semi­ structured interviews were conducted and all face-to-face interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. For those who respond through facebook chat, the online conversation was saved. The transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Strong will power and determination are the main factors which forces smokers to stop. However, there are few other reasons such as health-related problems, financial constrain and negative perceptions of society towards smokers which strengthened their intention to quit permanently. In addition managing cigarette cravings are important to ensure smoking abstinence among ex-smokers. Conclusions: Smokers' intention need to be strengthened by several factors which can lead them to quit successfully. Besides, involvement of CSCSP is important to assist the smokers to remain cigarette free by using the right approaches