Vancouver-Fraser Medical Program, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Faculty of Medicine, Respiratory Medicine Division, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Prim Health Care Res Dev. 2024 Sep 20;25:e38. doi: 10.1017/S1463423624000306.
To explore the views of tobacco-smoking chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma-COPD overlap (ACO) patients on telehealth-based cessation programs and the role of e-cigarettes as an aid to quit smoking.
Tobacco smoking accelerates the progression of COPD. Traditional smoking cessation programs often do not entirely address the unique needs of COPD patients, leading to suboptimal effectiveness for this population. This research is aimed at describing the attitudes and preferences of COPD and ACO patients toward innovative, telehealth-based smoking cessation strategies and the potential application of e-cigarettes as a quitting aid.
A qualitative exploratory approach was adopted in this study, employing both focus groups and individual interviews with English-speaking adults with diagnosed COPD or ACO. Participants included both current smokers (≥ 5 cigarettes/day) and recent ex-smokers (who quit < 12 months ago). Data were systematically coded with iterative reliability checks and subjected to thematic analysis to extract key themes.
A total of 24 individuals participated in this study. The emergent themes were the perceived structure and elements of a successful smoking cessation program, the possible integration of telehealth with digital technologies, and the strategic use of e-cigarettes for smoking reduction or cessation. The participants stressed the importance of both social and professional support in facilitating smoking cessation, expressing a high value for insights provided by ex-smokers serving as mentors. A preference was observed for group settings; however, the need for individualized plans was also highlighted, considering the diverse motivations individuals had to quit smoking. The participants perceived online program delivery as potentially beneficial as it could provide immediate access to support during cravings or withdrawals and was accessible to remote users. Opinions on e-cigarettes were mixed; some participants saw them as a less harmful alternative to conventional smoking, while others were skeptical of their efficacy and safety and called for further research.
探索吸烟慢性阻塞性肺疾病（COPD）和哮喘-COPD 重叠（ACO）患者对基于远程医疗的戒烟项目以及电子烟作为戒烟辅助手段的看法。
吸烟会加速 COPD 的发展。传统的戒烟项目往往不能完全满足 COPD 患者的特殊需求，导致该人群的效果不理想。本研究旨在描述 COPD 和 ACO 患者对创新的、基于远程医疗的戒烟策略的态度和偏好，以及电子烟作为戒烟辅助手段的潜在应用。
本研究采用定性探索性方法，对已确诊为 COPD 或 ACO 的英语成年患者进行焦点小组和个人访谈。参与者包括当前吸烟者（≥5 支/天）和近期戒烟者（戒烟<12 个月）。数据采用系统编码，经过迭代可靠性检查，并进行主题分析，以提取关键主题。
共有 24 人参与了这项研究。出现的主题是成功戒烟项目的结构和要素、远程医疗与数字技术的可能整合以及电子烟用于减少或戒烟的策略性使用。参与者强调了在促进戒烟方面社会和专业支持的重要性，表达了对作为导师的戒烟者提供的见解的高度重视。他们倾向于选择小组设置，但也强调了考虑到个人戒烟动机的多样性，需要制定个性化计划。参与者认为在线项目交付具有潜在的益处，因为它可以在渴望或戒断期间立即提供支持，并且可以供远程用户使用。对电子烟的看法存在分歧；一些参与者认为电子烟是比传统吸烟更安全的替代品，而另一些人则对其功效和安全性持怀疑态度，并呼吁进行更多的研究。
