A qualitative study of how individuals with severe mental illness assess smoking risks

Abstract

Background: This qualitative paper describes perceptions of smoking risk and ways of thinking about risk for 31 persons with a Severe Mental Illness (SMI). Research has shown that many people with SMI want to quit smoking, and, like many other disadvantaged groups, make many quit attempts. Aim: The authors undertook a qualitative study to explore views and experiences about smoking and quitting, within a general context of what it means to them to live a healthy lifestyle. Method: A purposive sample of former smokers, current smokers, and individuals who had never smoked was chosen to participate in a semi-structured interview. Questions targeted various lifestyle domains, narrowing to focus more specifically on smoking habits, attempts to quit, and thoughts about the future in relation to health and smoking. Techniques of grounded theory were used to categorize and interpret themes. Results: The results indicate that many current smokers interpret and frame perceptions of health risks from smoking in rel...