Barriers and Facilitators to Smoking Cessation Intervention: Qualitative Insights From Health Care Providers

Tobacco control is significantly influenced by smoking cessation interventions led by health care providers. However, the experiences of these providers in counseling are not sufficiently explored. This qualitative study, embedded within an Smoking Cessation Organizing, Planning & Execution (SCOPE) training effectiveness evaluation, delves into the barriers and facilitators encountered in addressing tobacco use at health clinics. We conducted Focus Group Discussions with 38 health care providers, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and medical assistants, across six locations. The transcripts were inductively coded to develop themes. Identified challenges encompassed time constraints, lack of cessation skills, patient default rates, and resource inadequacy. On the contrary, strong rapport, patient readiness to quit, service promotion, and dedicated clinics emerged as facilitators. The study emphasizes that health care providers face barriers at multiple levels-provider, patient, and organizational. Capitalizing on the identified facilitators could improve smoking cessation intervention efforts. The improvement of quit-smoking clinics necessitates strategic inputs from a diverse range of stakeholders.