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Preferences for Follow-Up Procedures among Patients Lost to Follow-Up after Smoking Cessation Intervention among Therapists—An Interview Study

Author

Listed:
  • Sanne Wärjerstam

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Clinical Health Promotion Centre, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Camilla Dew-Hattens

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Clinical Health Promotion Centre, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Mette Rasmussen

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Clinical Health Promotion Centre, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
    National Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, DK-1455 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Berit Lilienthal Heitmann

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Clinical Health Promotion Centre, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
    Section for General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, DK-1172 Copenhagen, Denmark)

  • Rie Raffing

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Clinical Health Promotion Centre, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Hanne Tønnesen

    (WHO Collaborating Centre, Clinical Health Promotion Centre, Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg & Frederiksberg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, DK-2400 Copenhagen, Denmark
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

Abstract

Achieving high follow-up rates after smoking cessation interventions (SCIs) is a general challenge. The aim of this study was to identify preferences among patients and therapists for improving follow-up rates and to assess smoking status at 6 months among patients lost to follow-up. From the Danish STOPbase for Tobacco and Nicotine, which collects data on SCI across health care, 20 representative patients lost to follow-up by routine procedures were identified together with 11 therapists. All participated in individual semi-structured phone interviews, which for patients also included 6-month smoking status. Deductive and inductive analyses were performed. Four themes emerged from the analyses with several subthemes, all regarding contacts. Both patients and therapists preferred to intensify the follow-up process by boosting it with additional attempts and using voice messages, e-mail and/or SMS, calling at specified times of the day and avoiding calls from unknown numbers. In addition, some patients mentioned that they were busy or were not carrying their mobile devices at the time of a call as a barrier. Some therapists mentioned that barriers could include an expectation of relapse, but also a poor mental state, the time of day and patient fear of public systems. Among the patients originally lost to follow-up, 35% (95% CI 16%–59%) experienced continuous smoking cessation for 6 months, and the overall national rate was 22% (21.6–23.3%). In conclusion, both patients and therapists preferred intensified follow-up. The 6-month smoking status for patients lost to follow-up seemed to be similar to that of the routinely followed-up patients. These findings will be examined experimentally in a larger study.

Suggested Citation

  • Sanne Wärjerstam & Camilla Dew-Hattens & Mette Rasmussen & Berit Lilienthal Heitmann & Rie Raffing & Hanne Tønnesen, 2024. "Preferences for Follow-Up Procedures among Patients Lost to Follow-Up after Smoking Cessation Intervention among Therapists—An Interview Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(6), pages 1-14, June.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:6:p:726-:d:1407855
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