Table 3.

Themes not specific to lung cancer screening and example quotes

Theme	Example quotes
Age and life stage	P4: As I’ve got older I suppose there is an effect in the sense that it’s all very well saying ‘I’ll carry on smoking’ and then you die, I’ve been more lately thinking, well yeh but it might be a long painful death. (Man, 58, negative, not stopped smoking) P5: My own mortality, reaching 62 and thinking ‘oh you’re nearer the end than you are the beginning now, you’d better watch what you’re doing,’ that sort of thing. When I go I want to die in my own home, reasonably fit, and I thought if I keep smoking that might not happen. When you start reflecting and you get near the age you were when they [participant’s parents] died and you think ‘maybe it’s time you stopped’. (Man, 62, negative, stopped smoking) P6: My first grandchild was expected. I just did not want to be a smoking granny. (Woman, 71, positive, stopped smoking)
Respiratory symptoms	Interviewer: Can you remember what made you decide to try and stop back in January? P26: Because truthfully it’s my health, it’s my health. Cos like I don’t feel ill, it was more when I lay in my bed at night I could hear myself wheezing and I said ‘need to give up these cigarettes I’m gonna end up really ill,’ and you know? And I think that was one of the reasons. (Woman, 57, negative, not stopped smoking)
Money	P4: My motivation in trying to stop smoking was really financial. It’s now something like seven pound fifty a packet, incredible price you know, so that that was the real motivator I have to say. (Man, 58, negative, not stopped smoking) P18: The main reason I would like to stop is the money aspect, cos it is very very expensive and I mean it probably sounds really daft, I mean I should be thinking more about my health but I think more about the money aspect of it because I do enjoy a cigarette. (Woman, 58, negative, not stopped smoking)
Pre-screening decisions to stop smoking	P5: And I thought this [ECLS study] is just another way of trying to stop so I’m going to go for it and see what happens. I didn’t know what it was all about then, obviously. Interviewer: So you thought it could help you to try and stop smoking? P5: Yep I needed motivation to stop. And you can do with any motivation you can get. (Man, 62, negative, stopped smoking)