A Qualitative Study on the Difficulties Faced by Healthcare Professionals Working in Smoking Cessation Clinics

Smoking cessation clinics are an essential component of tobacco control policies, providing integrated pharmacological and behavioral interventions to support individuals in overcoming tobacco dependence. The quality and effectiveness of these services are closely associated with healthcare professionals' experiences and the organizational context in which care is delivered. This study aimed to explore healthcare professionals' experiences, perceived barriers, coping strategies, and recommendations regarding smoking cessation services in Türkiye.

A qualitative phenomenological design was employed. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 13 healthcare professionals working in smoking cessation clinics, addiction units, and Healthy Life Centers. The study was conducted between November 2025 and April 2026. Data were collected through face-to-face semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Participants perceived smoking cessation clinics as valuable and effective services but identified several barriers that limited service delivery. Major challenges included low patient motivation, inadequate adherence to follow-up visits, normalization of smoking in social life, heavy workload, limited consultation time, insufficient multidisciplinary support, and medication access problems. Healthcare professionals reported using individualized counseling, motivational interviewing, evidence-based treatment algorithms, and digital follow-up systems to improve treatment adherence and cessation success. Professional motivation was primarily sustained by observing successful patient outcomes and contributing to improved quality of life, despite existing structural constraints.

Smoking cessation services are influenced by the interaction of individual, organizational, and systemic factors. Strengthening multidisciplinary teamwork, improving institutional resources, expanding behavioral support, enhancing digital follow-up systems, and increasing public awareness may improve the effectiveness and sustainability of tobacco dependence treatment. Incorporating healthcare professionals' experiences into tobacco control policies may contribute to higher-quality services and better long-term cessation outcomes.