Intervention for Smokers through New Communication Technologies: What Perceptions Do Patients and Healthcare Professionals Have? A Qualitative Study.
BACKGROUND
The use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the health service is increasing. In spite of limitations, such as lack of time and experience, the deployment of ICTs in the healthcare system has advantages which include patient satisfaction with secure messaging, and time saving benefits and utility for patients and health professionals. ICTs may be helpful as either interventions on their own or as complementary tools to help patients stop smoking.


OBJECTIVE
To gather opinions from both medical professionals and smokers about an email-based application that had been designed by our research group to help smoking cessation, and identify the advantages and disadvantages associated with interventions based on the utilization of ICTs for this purpose.


METHODS
A qualitative, descriptive-interpretative study with a phenomenological perspective was performed to identify and interpret the discourses of the participating smokers and primary healthcare professionals. Data were obtained through two techniques: semi-structured individual interviews and discussion groups, which were recorded and later systematically and literally transcribed together with the interviewer's notes. Data were analyzed with the ATLAS TI 6.0 programme.


RESULTS
Seven individual interviews and four focal groups were conducted. The advantages of the application based on the email intervention designed by our research group were said to be the saving of time in consultations and ease of access for patients who found work timetables and following a programme for smoking cessation incompatible. The disadvantages were thought to be a lack of personal contact with the healthcare professional, and the possibility of cheating/ self-deception, and a greater probability of relapse on the part of the smokers.


CONCLUSIONS
Both patients and healthcare professionals viewed the email-based application to help patients stop smoking as a complementary aid to face-to-face consultations. Nevertheless, ICTs could not substitute personal contact in the smoking cessation programme.
Centro de Salud Cuevas del Almanzora, Servicio Andaluz de Salud, Almería, Spain; Primary Healthcare University Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain.
Jose Manuel
JM
Trujillo Gómez
Centre d'Atenció Primaria La Sagrera, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Laura
L
Díaz-Gete
Primary Healthcare University Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain; Centre d'Atenció Primaria Passeig de Sant Joan, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Carlos
C
Martín-Cantera
Centre d'Atenció Primària La Marina, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Mireia
M
Fábregas Escurriola
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Passeig de Sant Joan, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Maribel
M
Lozano Moreno
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Turo, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Raquel
R
Burón Leandro
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Turo, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Ana María
AM
Gomez Quintero
Centre d'Atenció Primària Florida Nord, Institut Català de la Salut, Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain.
Jose Luis
JL
Ballve
Centro de Salud Santo Grial, Servicio Aragonés de Salud, Huesca, Spain.
María Lourdes
ML
Clemente Jiménez
Primary Healthcare University Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain.
Elisa
E
Puigdomènech Puig
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Sant Antoni, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Ramón
R
Casas More
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Goretti Badia, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Beatriz
B
Garcia Rueda
Primary Healthcare University Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain.
Marc
M
Casajuana
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Vallcarca-Sant Gervasi, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Marga
M
Méndez-Aguirre
Centre d'Atenció Primaria Vallcarca-Sant Gervasi, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
David
D
Garcia Bonias
Centre d'Atenció Primaria La Sagrera, Institut Català de la Salut, Barcelona, Spain.
Soraya
S
Fernández Maestre
Primary Healthcare University Research Institute IDIAP Jordi Gol, Barcelona, Spain.
Jessica
J
Sánchez Fondevila
D000328:Adult; D034742:Electronic Mail / Q000941:ethics*; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008490:Medical Informatics / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012907:Smoking / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D016540:Smoking Cessation / Q000379:methods* / Q000523:psychology; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014029:Tobacco Use Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*