Open AccessCigarette Smoking and Cessation-Related Interactions With Health Care Providers in the Context of Living With HIV: Focus Group Study Findings
Author(s) -
Lauren R. Pacek,
Alicia D Holloway,
Karen L. Cropsey,
Christina S. Meade,
Maggie M. Sweitzer,
James M. Davis,
F. Joseph McCler
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the journal of the association of nurses in aids care/journal of the association of nurses in aids care
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.636
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 1552-6917
pISSN - 1055-3290
DOI - 10.1097/jnc.0000000000000185
Subject(s) - focus group , smoking cessation , context (archaeology) , human immunodeficiency virus (hiv) , focus (optics) , medicine , health care , psychology , family medicine , sociology , political science , physics , anthropology , law , optics , paleontology , pathology , biology
Smoking is disproportionately prevalent among people living with HIV (PLWH) compared with the general population. We conducted five focus groups (n = 24) using semi-structured interview guides to explore perceptions and experiences of smoking and cessation-related interactions with health care providers among smokers with HIV. Major themes included a limited understanding of how smoking affects illness among PLWH and minimal discussion about cessation with providers. Findings highlight the need to educate smokers with HIV about the known impacts of smoking on illness among PLWH and to facilitate greater discussion of cessation between providers and smokers with HIV. Prior experiences with smoking cessation medications and desire for additional information regarding these medications should be considered when implementing medication regimens in research and clinical settings.