Helping In-patients to Quit Smoking by Understanding Their Risk Perception, Behavior, and Attitudes Related to Smoking
Condition: Smoking
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      This study aims at understanding the needs and concerns of Chinese current smoking patients,
      including their risk perceptions, and the behavior, attitudes, and experiences related to
      smoking and smoking cessation. Specifically, how smokers overcome withdrawal symptoms and
      cigarette cravings, as a result of banning on smoking in hospitals, will be explored. In
      addition, whether smokers will stop, resume or continue smoking after hospitalization will be
      investigated.
    

Detailed description: 
      As about 400,000 hospitalizations are attributable to smoking annually in Hong Kong, it is an
      excellent "teachable moment" for healthcare professionals to help patients quit smoking. To
      our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the needs and concerns of Chinese
      current smoking patients, including their risk perceptions, and the behavior, attitudes, and
      experiences related to smoking and smoking cessation. The findings of this study have
      important implications for research and clinical practice.

      Understanding how hospitalized smokers perceive the risks of smoking, and their behaviour,
      attitudes, experiences related to smoking, as well as their view on hospital smoking
      cessation service are essential prerequisites for the design of an effective and appropriate
      smoking cessation intervention that can help patients achieve a greater level of smoking
      abstinence and a lower level of relapse. Moreover, the results of this study can guide the
      development of protocols and interventions that will demystify the misconceptions about
      smoking among hospitalized smokers, increase their perception of the risks of continued
      smoking and benefits of quitting. Additionally, it is crucial to motivate more healthcare
      professionals to assess health behaviors of hospitalized smokers and to implement
      evidence-based interventions to help them quit smoking. Most importantly, healthcare
      professionals should be offered relevant training so as to enhance their self-efficacy and
      confidence in promoting smoking cessation to patients.

      The study consists of 2 phases. During phase 1, a purposive sample of 30 current adult
      smokers who admit to either medical or surgical units of one of the largest cute hospitals in
      Hong Kong will be invited to have a 60-minute semi-structured interview. The risk
      perceptions, and the behaviour, attitudes, and experiences related to smoking and smoking
      cessation amongst Chinese current smoking patients will be explored. Concerning phase 2, a
      convenience sample of 382 adult patients who are current smokers or ex-smokers in the three
      out-patient clinics will be invited to response to the questionnaires. Based on the findings
      of Phase 1 study, a survey study will be conducted to further explore the behaviour,
      attitudes, and experiences related to smoking and smoking cessation amongst those patient who
      smoked before their admission to hospitals.
    

Observational model: Case-Only
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Non-Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Phase 1 Qualitative study:

        Chinese patients admitting to either medical or surgical units of one of the largest acute
        hospital in Hong Kong for physical discomfort.

        Phase 2 Survey study:

        Chinese patients attending one of the three general outpatient clinics at different regions
        in Hong Kong for medical follow-up.
      
Keywords: Smoking Cessation