Date of Conferral

2022

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Health

Advisor

Dr. Joseph F. Robare

Abstract

AbstractSmoking is a serious public health problem because of its close link to health conditions such as lung cancer. Smoking cessation has received significant attention in research that contributes to successful quitting, but not much is known about smokers’ reasons for and experiences of quit attempts. This qualitative phenomenological study explored factors that contribute to failed quit attempt experiences among adults 18–40 years old. The researcher recruited 30 participants, 22 males, and eight females, who had participated in a cessation program with the Indiana Department of Health, but failed to quit, or had successfully quit but who had returned to smoking and were recruited. Participants responded by email to a series of open-ended questions aligned with the Transtheoretical Model. Thematic analysis of the data revealed that most participants recognized the significance of a smoking cessation program in their journey to quitting. However, all participants also reported other critical factors to successful cessation, including willpower, commitment, the support of friends and family, and stress as a cause of unsuccessful quit attempts. Since tobacco use is a social behavior associated with relational and symbolic benefits, effective intervention programs should focus on the group dynamic to encourage smokers to quit and address the psychological and physical consequences of smoking. The results emphasize the importance of an approach to quitting that includes deep commitment, adequate support, and stress management. The study’s positive social change implications for smoking cessation programs that effectively engage participants can lead to meaningful behavioral and attitudinal changes that result in quitting.

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