Table 3.

Focus group themes, sample quotes, and data bits

Focus Group Themes	Number of Data Bits	Percent of Total
Need for easy access to tobacco dependence treatment programs “…the health department having that program where the patches were so cheap…that’s wonderful to me…that they cared enough about their citizens.”	61	17%
Quitting with support of family and friends “My husband and I tried to quit smoking one time at the same time. …he said, I don’t think I can do this. I said, yeah we can.”	59	17%
Faith “I know that when the good Lord up above feels that I’m ready to do it, He’ll help me through it.”	55	15%
Quitting for health reasons “… as I get older and my breathing is affected and I just had bronchitis for the 3rd time…know something’s gotta change.”	42	12%
Freedom of individual choice “…I don’t think that the government should come along and tell me or my friend that lives over the hill over here that’s a tobacco farmer…that I can’t smoke in the city…something sticks in my craw about that.”	36	10%
Pride of place “We have more talent in this area, in this river, up and down this river…the most beautiful quilts you’ve ever saw, some woodworking, you know, I mean there’s talent here.”	33	9%
Big Tobacco “…I don’t know what they’re putting in them things that are so addictive and I think it’s more addictive in the last 15–20 years than it ever was.”	27	8%
Meaningful messages to smokers “Telling me to quit, you just need to quit, that’s not support to me…being able to understand what I’m going through.”	26	7%
Quitting for one’s children “My grandson said, oh Mamaw, you stopped smoking so I won’t get so sick anymore. And I thought, oh my God, you know. You don’t realize how they see it and it was like, oh praise the Lord, I never go back.”	18	5%
TOTAL	357	100%