The 13th World Conference on Tobacco OR Health

Objective: To evaluate a narrative therapy approach in smoking cessation that incorporates the nuances of culture and context in a community of mixed socio-economic stratum. This work adds to the recent debates about the limitations of the ‘stages of change' approaches (Whitelaw et al 2000; West 2005) and contributes to smoking cessation practice.

Methods: A process evaluation was conducted to examine the shared narratives of smoking and quitting as they have occurred in the groups and explored how these multiple voices might be used as a resource for giving up smoking. Secondly an impact evaluation explored the experience of participants and their 12 month quit rates. Data were collected in the form of:

12 observations of smoking cessation groups over a course of six weeks

5 taped debriefing interviews with the group facilitator

10 in–depth interviews with potential clients of the service

11 in-depth interviews with post group clients

114 clients follow up survey to assess 12 month quit rates.

Results: The findings suggest that this method achieves a quit rate of 16% at 12 month follow up. An approach that uses stories is effective and challenges the standardised ‘one size fits all' approach to smoking cessation. The flexible nature of the service enables people who want to quit smoking to receive longer term support and allows for any instability in people's intentions to quit to be accommodated. Recommendations for smoking cessation policy and practice are based on these observations