Individual pathways for tobacco and nicotine cessation in the Philippines

The Philippine government is moving to integrate tobacco and nicotine cessation services in the country into primary to tertiary levels of care, covering both the public and the private sector. However, previous studies describing individual pathways to improve treatment adherence, continuity and quality of care from primary to tertiary care for tobacco and nicotine cessation had been scarce. We examine individual pathways of Filipino tobacco and nicotine users as they journey towards smoking cessation and/or disease.

We conducted 38 key informant interviews (KIIs) and 12 focus group discussions (FGDs) with Filipino current and former tobacco and nicotine users, public and private service providers, local government smoking cessation providers and officials, and regional, and national tobacco control program officers. We supplemented these KIIs and FGDs with a review of tobacco and nicotine cessation administrative guidelines. We then described the individual pathways of Filipino tobacco and nicotine users, identifying issues and bottlenecks at each pathway.

We describe six individual pathways that Filipino tobacco and nicotine users take as they journey towards successful quitting or disease: (1) Provider assisted care; (2) Self-care; (3) No quit attempt; (4) Relapse; (5) Cessation prompted by disease; and (6) Developing disease despite successful quitting.

By identifying the pathways and the barriers that Filipino tobacco and nicotine users face, we provide recommendations to improve tobacco and nicotine quit rates in the Philippines.