The obstacles encountered by COPD patients about quitting smoking

Purpose: To determine the obstacles encountered by chronic obstructive respiratory disease (COPD) patients when quitting smoking. Materials and methods: Phenomenological research design was used in this study. A total of 20 smoker COPD patients chosen with purposive sampling constituted the universe of this study. Data were collected through the in-depth interview method using semi-structured interview forms. Analysis of the data was performed with inductive analysis using the content analysis method. Results: The challenges encountered by COPD patients when quitting smoking consist of 3 main themes and sub-themes including “İndividual specific challenges, environmental and social challenges and addiction/life with cigarettes”. Conclusions: This study revealed the individual, environmental-social and physical, psychological and social challenges in relation to addiction encountered by COPD patients when quitting smoking. Patients should be informed about the relationship between COPD and smoking through trainings, behaviours of individuals about smoking cessation should be determined and accordingly necessary actions should be taken in line with the motivational interview principles and families be included in these actions.