Smoking Cessation Support in Social and Community Service Organizations: Potential Activities, Barriers, and Facilitators.

INTRODUCTION: Social and Community Service Organizations (SCSOs) are a potential setting to reach and support people with a low socioeconomic position who smoke, yet smoking cessation is not widely supported by SCSO professionals. AIMS AND METHODS: This study aims to identify SCSO professionals' (1) potential activities to support smoking cessation and (2) barriers and facilitators in undertaking these activities. Between July and November 2022, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 professionals recruited through SCSOs in Amsterdam North, including participation workers, welfare workers, parent and child counselors, budget coach, debt counselor, welfare work, community sports, and community center coordinators. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach. RESULTS: Eight activities were identified that could support the client either directly (ie, recognizing smoking clients, discussing smoking and smoking cessation, referring clients, providing smoking cessation counseling, offering help around services) or indirectly (ie, collaboration with relevant network partners, implementing smoke-free environments, enhancing professional skills). Various barriers and facilitators were identified related to the (1) client and their environment (ie, clients' readiness and social environment), (2) interaction between professional and client (ie, topic sensitivity), (3) professional (ie, professional is non-smoker, knowledge, and self-efficacy), (4) professionals' work environment (ie, necessity, responsibility, priority, and time), and (5) smoking cessation services (ie, availability of appropriate services and referral process). CONCLUSIONS: There is potential for SCSO professionals to support smoking cessation, but several barriers hinder their efforts. To address these barriers, it is essential to take into account the factors that SCSO professionals believe facilitate the provision of smoking cessation support. IMPLICATIONS: This study provides insight into how the potential of SCSOs in Amsterdam North to support smoking cessation efforts among people with a low socioeconomic position can be harnessed. Barriers were found at multiple levels (client, professional, client-professional interaction, and organizational) and these findings imply that stakeholders across these levels will need to prioritize smoking cessation to facilitate and stimulate SCSO professionals in supporting smoking cessation. A concrete action would be to offer SCSO professionals additional training in conversational skills to discuss smoking. As a prerequisite, easily accessible and suitable smoking cessation services should be available in the neighborhood.

Suitability of smoking cessation support from social and community service organizations: perspectives of Dutch clients.

Social and community service organizations (SCSOs) may be a promising new environment to more successfully reach people with a lower socioeconomic position (SEP) for smoking cessation support. However, studies that investigate clients' perspectives of the suitability of SCSOs as a setting to discuss smoking are scarce. This study aimed to (i) investigate the suitability of smoking cessation support provided by SCSOs, according to people with a low SEP, and (ii) explore their reasons for considering it suitable or unsuitable. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 individuals with a low SEP who smoked regularly (N = 14) or had smoked regularly (N = 5). They have been in contact with SCSOs in a specific neighborhood in Amsterdam. Data were analyzed using a thematic approach. Participants generally considered SCSOs as suitable for providing smoking cessation support, as professionals are involved, build a relationship of trust, and offer personalized and holistic support. SCSOs are located nearby and familiar, they provide support in both group and individual settings and might offer additional supportive (group)activities. A number of participants expressed doubts about the waiting time for support, the fact that the needed support might exceed professionals' expertise, and the lack of aftercare. SCSOs can be an additional opportunity for providing smoking cessation support that aligns with the circumstances of lower SEP people. To harness the potential, smoking cessation could be integrated into education programs and training among professionals could be promoted. Policy changes within and outside SCSOs would be needed.