Implementing smoking cessation in routine primary care-a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Digital Health
• Primary Care

Background:

• Digital tools offer potential solutions for preventative services in primary care.
• Patient acceptance of digital smoking cessation tools is high, yet clinical integration remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore healthcare professionals' perceptions of smoking cessation practices in primary care.
• To understand the role and integration of digital tools in smoking cessation support.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving nine in-depth telephone interviews with Swedish primary care professionals.
• Participants included nurses and behavioral therapists with experience in smoking cessation and digital interventions.
• Convenience and snowball sampling were used for recruitment.

Main Results:

• Smoking cessation practice involves identifying patients, standardized routines, and maintaining focus on tobacco cessation.
• Digital tools were utilized to replicate, complement, and facilitate access to care.
• Patient expectations and behaviors influenced the implementation of smoking cessation practices and digital tool use.

Conclusions:

• Implementing smoking cessation in primary care requires ongoing effort in patient outreach and staff engagement.
• Digital interventions are valuable for replicating, complementing, and enabling access to smoking cessation care.
• Challenges include staff continuity and attitudes towards prevention, while societal awareness of tobacco risks aids normalization.