The research of pharmaceutical professionals experiences in helping smoking cessation

Aim of research: Study of Lithuania’s pharmacists experience in providing smoking cessation assistance to smokers wishing to quit. Lithuania’s pharmacists experience in providing smoking cessation assistance to smokers wishing to quit. The qualitative research method - semi structured interview was applied. The participants were pharmacists who are smoking cessation advisers.. The research shows that pharmacists recommend smoking cessation to patients who suffer from various chronic diseases, identify smoking as a risk factor that can affect the emergence of various diseases, provide counseling on smoking cessation to patients who seek their help. The vast majority of pharmacy specialists admitted that while providing consultations on smoking cessation they feel very well, they feel professional satisfaction, Pharmacy specialists have identified four main difficulties that hinder them in providing smoking cessation services: low patient motivation, lack of knowledge, lack of time, lack of confidentiality. In the opinion of pharmacists, a special conference for pharmacists on smoking cessation, special events, and television advertising on smoking cessation could help overcome some of the identified difficulties.The results of the study indicate that pharmacy specialists are motivated to provide consultations on smoking cessation and have suggestions how to improve the effectiveness of smoking cessation programs. Although pharmacy specialists would like to play a more prominent role in the promotion of smoking cessation, it’s not their daily practice and not all problems and difficulties are identified