Designing smoking cessation services for school-age smokers: A survey and qualitative study.
To identify the preferred design characteristics of smoking cessation services for school-age smokers, we conducted focus groups with teenage smokers motivated to stop smoking. We surveyed all pupils in years 9-11 (aged 13-16) in a random sample of 10 schools in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, to elicit details of smoking behavior, and conducted 25 focus groups in 6 schools with current smokers who wanted to stop smoking. Of 4,065 pupils surveyed, 888 (22%) were current smokers, and 438 (50% of smokers) wanted to quit smoking. We sampled 226 of these individuals for focus group studies, and 135 (60%) participated. These participants were motivated to quit, and almost all had tried to do so but had found it too difficult. Many were aware of smoking cessation methods but had low perceptions of their effectiveness based on their own or others' poor experiences of these interventions, and few were aware of the possibility of professional cessation support. Given clear, nondirective information about interventions, participants reported a preference for confidential, nonjudgmental services delivered during school time by a trained counselor, allowed the option to attend with friends, and offered nicotine replacement therapy (NRT). School-age smokers in Nottinghamshire, United Kingdom, who are motivated to stop smoking have low knowledge and opinions of smoking cessation interventions. Our findings indicate that young smokers would favor school-based services offering confidential professional counseling and NRT.
Molyneux
Andrew
A
Division of Respiratory Medicine, University of Nottingham, City Hospital, Nottingham, UK.
Lewis
Sarah
S
Coleman
Tim
T
McNeill
Ann
A
Godfrey
Christine
C
Madeley
Richard
R
Britton
John
J
D000293:Adolescent; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods; D004739:England; D017144:Focus Groups; D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009538:Nicotine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012572:School Health Services; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000628:therapy*
D005731:Ganglionic Stimulants; D009538:Nicotine