Attitudes of patients with chronic respiratory disease to smoking cessation.

A group of out-patients of a physician's office, all with chronic obstructive disease, were surveyed in a structured manner to assess attitudes and perception of social and environmental influences on smoking cessation. Half the patients were current smokers, and half were ex-smokers. The decision to attempt to quit smoking was based primarily on general health consequences in both successful quitters and ongoing smokers. The physician who made firm, persistent efforts to assist the smoking patient was viewed as the most important and credible source of information and effective advice concerning smoking cessation. Firm continuing pressure, first from the doctor and secondly from the family and friends, was recognized as the most powerful stimulus. The media and public announcements played very small roles as sources of information and advice. The cost of cigarettes was seldom listed as an important consideration. Smokers were rarely successful in their first attempt to quit, but persistence resulted in success. Reasons for final success could not be identified.