The Effect of Abnormal Screening Results on Smoking |
Abnormal screening results motivate smokers to quit. |
“It was always in the back of my mind that it’s going to be somebody else and not me until I saw that x-ray. That really brought it home.” |
“I would be frantic. I would just probably pass out and die then. It would make me want to stop, yes.” |
“I always felt that people, when they’re confronted with a bad x-ray, that to me is easy [to quit]…What’s hard is to quit when you’re not looking in the face of evidence.” |
“… I contracted double pneumonia and during the process of hospitalization they did an x-ray of my lung and they found a [benign] golf ball-sized blot on my lung… That really freaked me out. And I’ve never touched a cigarette [since].” |
“I mean, suddenly it just hit me cold and I suddenly realized that I could die… it was an infection related to the double pneumonia—it wasn’t a cancer or whatever, but the idea that it could have been a malignant tumor just freaked me out. And that basically is how I stopped.” |
Abnormal screening results encourage continued smoking. |
“Well yeah, if it’s a positive result a person is going to realize ‘I’m going to die.’ And they could continue smoking because they’re going to die anyway.” |
The Effect of Normal Screening Results on Smoking |
Normal screening results give permission to smoke. |
“I remember getting results and they were good and I remember thinking, good, I can still smoke.” |
“If the tests come out normal, can I cheat fate a little longer.” |
Normal screening results do not give permission to smoke |
“I don’t think of it that way, anyway, like I got a clean scan and now I have a license to smoke. That’s just not a particular connection.” |
Interest in Nicotine Replacement Therapy and Other Cessation Medications |
Hope to quit without using these aids. |
“The medicine and all that, the medicine’s no good to me because you have to go here first (pointing to head) and condition yourself.” |
“The side-effects [of Chantix] alone are scary enough. Thoughts of suicide.” |
“I’m hoping to have a moment of clarity one morning when I wake up… [and say], ‘I’m not smoking anymore.”’ |
Would be interested in using these aids. |
“I did acupuncture as well and the acupuncturist was extremely effective. So much so that it was actually disconcerting.” |
“If I had somebody, or a text message, who would keep me on the sort of awareness path of a constant reminded and sort of make me realize how weak and ineffectual I am.” |
“The scan is the first step. So then the second step that I would consider is a counseling program and/or, as part of that counseling program, they could discuss some of these alternative methods like herbal therapies or homeopathic medicines.” |
“… Chantix really works. I was amazed. I wasn’t even tempted for a cigarette.” |
Interest in Telephone Counseling |
Counseling would help me (and others) quit smoking. |
“… individual counseling, whether face-to-face or by telephone is something that could keep someone engaged with the process of wanting to quit.” |
“I think individual counseling would keep people engaged. Like a career counselor or a life coach or whatever, making sure you’re aware of the risk and making sure you’re on track.” |
“I’m just thinking about if someone called me once a week… Just knowing that there’s someone that cares… It’s just that personal touch of someone out there saying ‘hey, keep it up.”’ |
Counseling may not be for everyone. |
“I don’t think anyone can talk to me to get me to stop.” |