Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-m6dg7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T15:41:00.720Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

‘It's a bit of a grey area’: challenges faced by stop smoking practitioners when advising on e-cigarettes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 December 2019

Dayyanah Sumodhee Open the ORCID record for Dayyanah Sumodhee [Opens in a new window] ,
Rachel Povey Open the ORCID record for Rachel Povey [Opens in a new window]  and
Nikolas Pontikos Open the ORCID record for Nikolas Pontikos [Opens in a new window]
Dayyanah Sumodhee*
Affiliation:
Wolfson Institute of Preventive Medicine, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
Rachel Povey
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences and Education, Staffordshire University, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Nikolas Pontikos
Affiliation:
Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, UK
*
Author for correspondence: Dayyanah Sumodhee, E-mail: d.sumodhee@qmul.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction

According to UK guidelines, stop smoking practitioners are expected to be open and supportive towards e-cigarette users. As adequate support from practitioners can be instrumental for smokers to successfully quit smoking, it is crucial to explore the challenges that stop smoking practitioners face when advising on e-cigarette use.

Aim

This qualitative study explores the challenges that stop smoking practitioners face when advising patients on e-cigarettes.

Methods

A qualitative study was conducted with semi-structured interviews with 10 stop smoking practitioners from four stop smoking services in London. Face to face interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted to explore practitioners' experiences when advising on e-cigarettes.

Findings

Two themes were noted: practitioners' concerns and practitioner–patient interactions. Practitioners were particularly concerned regarding the lack of information, safety issues and the maintenance of addiction linked with e-cigarettes. They emphasised the difficulty of advising on a product that they cannot prescribe. Overall, practitioners expressed the lack of confidence when advising on e-cigarettes since they were often unprepared and not able to answer patients' questions on e-cigarettes.

Conclusions

Stop smoking practitioners' lack of confidence and limited knowledge regarding e-cigarettes emphasises the necessity for training and guidance on e-cigarettes to improve their interactions with patients on this subject. In particular, practitioners need to be provided with clear guidance on how to counsel patients about how and where to buy e-cigarettes.

Keywords

E-cigarettesstop smoking practitionersstop smoking services
Type
Original Articles
Information
Journal of Smoking Cessation , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 2020 , pp. 44 - 49
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2019. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Action on Smoking and Health, . (2017). Action needed to reverse the downward trend in those seeking support to quit smoking. London: Author. Retrieved from http://ash.org.uk/media-and-news/press-releases-media-and-news/action-needed-to-reverse-the-downward-trend-in-those-seeking-support-to-quit-smoking/.Google Scholar
Barbeau, A. M., Burda, J., & Siegel, M. (2013). Perceived efficacy of e-cigarettes versus nicotine replacement therapy among successful e-cigarette users: A qualitative approach. Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, 8, 5–5. doi:10.1186/1940-0640-8-5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Beard, E., Brose, L. S., Brown, J., West, R., & McEwen, A. (2014). How are the English stop smoking services responding to growth in use of electronic cigarettes? Patient Education and Counseling, 94, 276. doi:10.1016/j.pec.2013.10.022.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. London: SAGE.Google Scholar
Brown, J., West, R., & Beard, E. (2019). Smoking Toolkit Study. Trends in electronic cigarette use in England. Retrieved from http://www.smokinginengland.info/latest-statistics/.Google Scholar
Dawkins, L. E., & McRobbie, H. (2017). Changing behaviour: Electronic cigarettes. British Psychological Society. Retrieved from https://www.bps.org.uk/sites/www.bps.org.uk/files/Policy/Policy%20-%20Files/Changing%20behaviour%20-%20electronic%20cigarettes.pdf.Google Scholar
Farrimond, H., & Abraham, C. (2018). Developing e-cigarette friendly smoking cessation services in England: Staff perspectives. Harm Reduction Journal, 15(1), 38.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hiscock, R., Arnott, D., Dockrell, M., Ross, L., & McEwen, A. (2019). Stop Smoking Practitioners’ understanding of e-cigarettes’ use and efficacy with particular reference to vapers’ socioeconomic status. Journal of Smoking Cessation, 14(1), 21–31.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hiscock, R., Bauld, L., Arnott, D., Dockrell, M., Ross, L., & McEwen, A. (2015). Views from the coalface: What do English stop smoking service personnel think about e-cigarettes? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 12, 16157–16167. doi:10.3390/ijerph121215048.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hiscock, R., Goniewicz, M. L., McEwen, A., Murray, S., Arnott, D., Dockrell, M., & Bauld, L. (2014). E-cigarettes: Online survey of UK smoking cessation practitioners. Tobacco Induced Diseases, 12(1), 13.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McConaha, J., Grabigel, A., DiLucente, D., & Lunney, P. (2018). Electronic cigarettes: The perceptions of pharmacists and physicians. Journal of Smoking Cessation, 13(1), 26–32. doi:10.1017/jsc.2017.1.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McDermott, M. S., Beard, E., Brose, L. S., West, R., & McEwen, A. (2012). Factors associated with differences in quit rates between ‘specialist’ and ‘community’ stop-smoking practitioners in the English stop-smoking services. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 15(7), 1239–1247.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McEwen, A., & McRobbie, H. (2016). Electronic cigarettes: A briefing for stop smoking services (January). National Centre for Smoking Cessation and Training. Retrieved from https://www.ncsct.co.uk/usr/pub/Electronic_cigarettes._A_briefing_for_stop_smoking_services.pdf.Google Scholar
McNeill, A., Brose, L. S., Calder, R., Hitchman, S. C., Hajek, P., & McRobbie, H. (2015). E-cigarettes: an evidence update. A report commissioned by Public Health England. Public Health England.Google Scholar
Royal College of Physicians of London. (2016). Nicotine without smoke tobacco harm reduction. Royal College of Physicians of London. Retrieved from https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/file/3563/download.Google Scholar
Shahab, L., Goniewicz, M. L., Blount, B. C., Brown, J., McNeill, A., Alwis, K. U., & West, R. (2017). Nicotine, carcinogen, and toxin exposure in long-term e-cigarette and nicotine replacement therapy users: A cross-sectional study. Annals of Internal Medicine, 166, 390–400.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stepney, M., Aveyard, P., & Begh, R. (2019). GPs’ and nurses’ perceptions of electronic cigarettes in England: A qualitative interview study. British Journal of General Practice, 69(678), e8–e14.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
West, R., Evans, A., & Michie, S. (2011). Behaviour change techniques used in group-based behavioural support by the English stop-smoking services and preliminary assessment of association with short-term quit outcomes. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 13, 1316–1320.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed