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Table 2 Index of themes, sub-themes, and key concepts

From: I’m not strong enough; I’m not good enough. I can’t do this, I’m failing”: a qualitative study of low-socioeconomic status smokers’ experiences with accessing cessation support and the role for alternative technology-based support

Theme

Sub-theme

Key concept

Exemplar quotation

Treatment acceptance barriers

Stigmatisation

Shame

“And shame - I mean, it is so unacceptable, and I just have to be very secretive about it. I would never let anybody I work with know that I smoke…it’s just so shameful.”(F, smoker)

Tobacco control policies

“So although the actual bans now- there are so many places that you cannot smoke…it also makes you zero in on that freedom to get to your own house and go into your own backyard and have a little cigarette. And that’s like some part of control that you’re taking back.” (F, smoker)

Pharmacotherapy treatments

Cost

“If you don’t believe that it’s going to work and you think, well next week I’ll just go back to buying cigarettes again, then it is more expensive.” (F, ex-smoker)

Subsidised medication

“I’m just waiting for my time to come up. I’ve just been to the doctor now and he says, ‘No, no, you’re still got three months to go (before PBS entitlement is renewed) .”

Adherence

“I think for the first two weeks of taking it [varenicline], I had a couple of cigarettes, then after that nothing. But my unfortunate thing is the three times I have had it, I haven’t gone the whole way with the tablets…I start smoking again” (F, smoker)

Withdrawal

“If I'm trying to get off a dependency on cigarettes, well I don’t want to be dependent on a (nicotine) gum, I don’t want to be dependent on Champix medication or whatever it is, or e-cigarettes or any kind of replacement.” (F, smoker)

Side-effects

“I started getting an itchy red spot or rash from the patches. So I went back to smoking.” (F, smoker)

Alternative cessation support

Electronic cigarettes

Knowledge

“I find it hard to get any real information about them. Even if you go into a tobacconist that sells them and you say, ‘Well, tell me about them,’ they don’t really know.” (M, smoker)

Purpose/function

“It’s still smoking. No. What’s the difference between lighting a smoke or inhaling on an e-smoke?” (F, ex-smoker)

Concerns

“They say it could take up to 30 years to know what the effects of the additives they put in for the flavouring. I mean, it’s like well, am I swapping one bad and then adding another?” (M, smoker)

Mobile phone behavioural support

Effectiveness

“Yeah. I think it’s [text support] probably a little bit better than a phone call because it’s a little bit more personal….everyone uses their phones these days, so yeah… it’s a personal conversation.” (F, ex-smoker)

Tailored interactive support

“I think it’s important to emphasise that it would be interactive texting as opposed to just receiving a message.” (F, smoker)

Content

“The health benefits I’d like just to come up after a specific time. And money saved. And you’ve also saved this much. I would be happy to know that.” (M, smoker)