| Summary: | Introduction
The smoker's narrative during smoking quitting provides insight into
aspects not fully explored in daily clinical practice. The aim of the study was to
analyze the smoker narrative using two types of methodologies: content analysis
and grounded theory, before and after smoking cessation intervention, provided
to the smoker in a specialized Smoking Cessation Unit accredited by the Spanish
Society of Pneumology and Thoracic Surgery.
Methods
A prospective observational study of current smokers included in a
tobacco cessation program between 2017 and 2020 was conducted at the Smoking
Cessation Unit of Santiago de Compostela Health Area, Spain. Routine clinical
variables and patient narrative data were collected. A descriptive analysis of the
sample, the content of the textual corpus, and a grounded theory were performed
in semi-structured interviews at baseline and at follow-up at 6 months.
Results
A total of 116 patients were included (mean age 55.6 ± 10.6 years; 56.9%
male; mean nicotine dependence score 5.7 ± 1.6). Quantitative analysis of the
narrative shows that the most frequent phrases and words are associated with
smoking, nicotine craving, and predisposition for smoking cessation. After
the intervention, phrases related to the manifestation of abstinence, response
to pharmacological treatment, and self-perception of smoking cessation were
predominant. In the qualitative analysis, the most frequent categories in the
smoker's textual corpus were dependence, motivation, and emotionality,
which decreased after the intervention (11.4%, 21.4%, and 9.9%, respectively)
accompanied by increased satisfaction (19.2%) and the manifestation of abstinence
(21.5%).
Conclusions
Motivation, nicotine dependence, and sensitivity to emotions are all
closely intertwined in the current smoker narrative and can be modified as a
consequence of treatment.
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