A Phenomenological Study of Barriers to Smoking Cessation among Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Malaysia
Abstract
Introduction: Smoking cessation is an essential intervention for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who still smoke. However, many patients struggle to quit successfully. Understanding the barriers they face is crucial to improving cessation strategies. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the real, often overlooked challenges COPD patients face when trying to quit smoking. Methods: A phenomenological study was conducted with a purposive sample of 11 male participants (GOLD 2, FEV1 46–75%) recruited from the Respiratory Clinic of Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahirah, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. Patients who were unable to stop smoking despite receiving treatment for COPD were included. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and thematically analysed using the Atlas.ti 23 software. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, reflexivity, and audit trails. Results: Three themes emerged: (1) Engagement with assisted smoking cessation, hindered by systemic referral gaps and misconceptions; (2) Requiring support while maintaining autonomy, where fear of mockery led to social isolation; and (3) Motivational factors, characterised by unstable motivation and a complacency window where low symptom burden diluted the urgency to quit despite objective lung function decline. Conclusion: COPD patients face unique barriers where clinical severity and subjective discomfort intersect. Factors like disconnect from formal healthcare services,…
Read the paper
Related studies
- Tobacco and COPD: presenting the World Health Organization (WHO) Tobacco Knowledge Summary
- Comparative effects of e-cigarette smoking on periodontal status, salivary pH, and cotinine levels
- Association between exposure to environmental pollutants and increased oral health risks, a comprehensive review
- Influence of gestational window on offspring vascular health in rodents with in utero exposure to electronic cigarettes
- Natural products as kinase inhibitors in lung cancer: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and clinical trials
- Nicotine in electronic cigarettes
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.